One of the biggest letdowns a fighter could have is finding out their scheduled bout has been cancelled because their opponent is unable to go for whatever reason. Their disappointment level is greater the closer to the fight the pullout comes. More often than not, their weeks or months of preparation are all for not. There are exceptions of course. Featherweight Alejandro Perez had been scheduled to take on touted prospect Ronny Rios last Friday night in Costa Mesa, California before he got one of those calls fighters dread. Fortunately another call came soon thereafter, and now Perez finds himself in a televised main event against world ranked Antonio Escalante tomorrow night at the Fairfield Sports Center in Fairfield, California.

When Perez (14-2-1, 9 KOs) of Salinas, California got word that the Rios fight was off, no one would have blamed him for getting frustrated. Perez had several bouts scheduled in 2010, but not one actually took place. More often that not, it was his opponent that was either injured, sick or out with a case of cold feet. On two occasions, it was Perez himself that had to withdraw due to injury or illness.

“It just sucks when you are very anxious, and you have a lot of people cheering for you and many of them have already bought tickets, and everything is ready,” says Perez. “And then last minute, a couple days before the fight you get that call and it is not going to happen after all. It was very disappointing, but then again this is the boxing business. It happens once, it happens twice. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the last.”

Perez’ positive mindset likely aided his ability to shift gears back into preparation mode when the call to fight Escalante came. “We had already been preparing for Ronny Rios, and so our training was not put to waste,” says Perez. “What we do know is that he is a tougher fighter and a very aggressive fighter, but we are ready for whatever he may bring Friday night. We have been training very hard and I feel great for this next fight.”

Escalante (24-3, 15 KOs) of El Paso, Texas represents a more dangerous challenge than would have the prospect Rios last Friday. Where Rios is mostly an untested commodity, Escalante has won at the higher level in the past. Not only is Escalante more experienced, but the Texan has also become known for his action style and penchant for pier six brawls. “I know he is a toe-to-toe type of fighter,” says Perez of Escalante. “Myself, I am a toe-to-toe type of fighter, but I can also be a boxer. If he wants to brawl, then we will brawl. Two things are for sure: the people are going to see a fight and the people are going to get what they paid for.”

While it is likely Escalante will come forward looking to make an action fight, Perez plans to be flexible in his approach in case his opponent does not hold true to form. “I know Escalante is one of those fighters that goes in there and gives a fight, and so am I,” says Perez, who trains out of the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California under Hector Valladarez. “I know he will come in there with a certain game plan and I have a game plan of my own. But once fight night comes, things can change dramatically, so I just have to adapt to whatever he may bring.”

Perez has been a super bantamweight for just about his entire career, but had planned on moving up four pounds to the 126-pound featherweight division for his next fight even before he got the call from the Escalante people. Escalante too had been a 122-pounder until recently moving up a weight class, but for this fight the IBF #6/WBO #14 ranked featherweight’s team requested that the bout be made above the super featherweight division limit.

“Escalante’s team wanted 132-pounds, but I said no, that is too much for me,” says Perez. “I couldn’t do 122 no more, so I decided to move up to 126. My next fight should have been at 126. But I guess they really wanted the fight, because they called us back and said how about 130? 126 to 130, yeah its four pounds difference, but it is time for me to fight and I feel really good at this weight. I have been weighing 130 for about the last two-and-a-half weeks and I have been feeling great. I feel it is going to be a great weight for me, but I am only going to fight this fight at 130 and then go back down to 126.”

The last time Escalante was in the ring was probably his worst night as a boxer. Fighting a featherweight eliminator in the opening bout of a pay-per-view telecast, Escalante was bombed out in three rounds by Daniel Ponce De Leon last September. It was the type of devastating knockout that could potentially have lasting effects. “I have never been knocked out myself or hurt that bad, but I believe it gets to anyone that has had a fight like that,” believes Perez. “He is going to have that little bit of fear of getting punched to the maximum again, as he was by Ponce De Leon. I will definitely have that in mind, but if I see the opening during the fight, believe me I am going to take it.”

The Escalante fight could be a make or break moment in the career of Alejandro Perez. Not only will the ten-round fight be the televised main event on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo telecast, but a victory would catapult Perez into the world rankings and make him a viable opponent for any top featherweight. “To date, this is my biggest fight,” says Perez. “So I have to leave everything in the ring. I have to go in with the mentality of winning no matter what it takes. I am going to leave my heart and soul in there. This is the type of fight we fighters train for, and the type of fight we fighters live for.”

Regardless of the final outcome, Perez makes one last promise, “It will definitely be a crowd pleaser, I am sure of that.”

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

Next weekend Krzysztof “Diablo” Wlodarczyk 44-2-1(32) will hope to make a second successful defence of his WBC Cruiserweight title when he meets his unbeaten mandatory challenger Puerto Rican Francisco Palacios. Wlodarczyk 29, will be doing it in front of his home fans in Poland, he hopes that a win will clear the way for the much talked about Cruiserweight Tournament to take place in the second half of 2011. Here’s what he had to say on how he first got in to Boxing, his Interests and the much talked about Cruiserweight Super 6.

Hello, Krzysztof, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You made the first defense of the WBC Cruiserweight title on 25 September against Jason Robinson. What can you tell us about the fight and what do you think of Robinson? How happy were you with your performance?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – Robinson was a decent opponent, better than some people thought he would be. Besides it’s always a good experience to fight against a southpaw, because if the Super Six tournament takes place, I think there would be at least 2 southpaws. It was a good fight for me. I didn’t knock him out, but the fight was interesting, and my victory convincing. I wish Jason all the best in the future. I heard that after the fight he got offers to spar against other world champions – Huck and Herelius.

Anson Wainwright – You will be fighting Francisco Palacios on 2 April in Poland. What do you think of Palacios and what are your thoughts on that fight?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – Palacios is good boxer, I’ve seen couple of his fights. He has awkward style, can switch his stance during a round, he can also punch. I read he wanted to knock me out – its okay let him try, I’ll be waiting with my counter punches. Palacios is good, but I’m simply better. I’ve worked so hard for this belt and won’t let a guy from Puerto Rico take it away from me. In December I had a surgery on my knee, but now my preparations go great, I have good sparing partners – Matt Godfrey and Michael Simms. Looking forward to Palacios fight!

Anson Wainwright – You won the WBC title when you impressively stopped Giacobbe Fragomeni in the eighth round. What can you tell us about how your felt the fight went and how happy you were with the performance? Would you say that was your best performance so far?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – I don’t know if it was my best performance, but the victory was very sweet. I wanted it very badly after the first Fragomeni fight, which finished in a draw. I wasn’t happy with my performance in Italy as well as with the referee decision, which in my opinion should have stopped that fight in the 9th round. So before the rematch I was extremely focused and motivated.

Anson Wainwright – You drew with Fragomeni previously what do you think was the difference this time?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – The main problem was that Italians rescheduled the first fight 3 times and I think I was over trained. After very good, intense start I completely ran out of gas. Before the rematch everything went great, I was in top shape. Now I can reveal, that in both fights I had problems with my nose, I almost wasn’t able to breathe through it. Before the Robinson fight I had a surgery, so now everything is OK.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – My trainer is Fiodor Lapin – excellent trainer born and educated in Russia, former boxer. He also trains other Polish top fighters like Rafal Jackiewicz, Albert Sosnowski, Dawid Kostecki. My manager and promoters are Andrew Wasilewski and Piotr Werner (12 round Knockout Promotions) and Leon Margules (Warriors Boxing).

Anson Wainwright – You were born in Warsaw, Poland can you tell us about how life was for you growing up?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – I live in Piaseczno, near Warsaw. As a young boy I may say I was a little rascal, but when I started to box, I changed. From that moment it was only boxing I was thinking about.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first become interested in Boxing and how old were you when you first went to the gym and fought? When did you realise you were actually very good and could make a career out of Boxing?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – My first martial art was Karate, I also tried some wrestling and kickboxing. It was cool, cause I always had a warrior inside me, but it was boxing, where I finally found those kind of emotions I was looking for. I remember my first time in the gym pretty well. I was 14. My father told me: “Krzysiek, I show you a cool place”, and he took me to the gym. I remember that smell, noise, sound of the punches… from the very first second I knew this was it. I also remember my first sparring… After weeks of training I couldn’t wait to finally get in the ring to try the real fight. My opponent was 2 years older. He hit me hard twice with his left, then a horrible right. I think I could make 3 rounds then. I left the ring literally shaking. I got my butt kicked, but it was great motivation for me. “OK, let the fun begin!” – I told to my trainer.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do when your not Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – I try to spend time with my family, my wife Gosia and 8-yers old son Czarek. I like to travel, my main interests/hobbies are cars and motorcycles. I love to drive fast. My record in car is 170 mph, on motorcycle – faster, but I can’t tell you [laughs].

Anson Wainwright – It has been mentioned that there could well be a Cruiserweight Super 6, what are your thoughts on that? How likely is it that you will appear in it if he happens?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – As far as I know, there are still talks going on. I heard that the tournament cant take place if Hernandez hasn’t got the full version of WBA title, because WBC won’t agree to unify with the Interim WBA champ. So it’s all up to Sauerland Events and Don King who promotes Guillermo Jones. If the tournament takes place, of course I will participate in it only if the money and conditions are right. There are plans to organize one of my S6 (Super 6) fights during the WBC Convention in Katowice in October.

Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the current Cruiserweight division? What are your thoughts on IBF Steve Cunningham, WBA Guillermo Jones, WBO Marco Huck, European Alexander Frenkel & IBO Danny Green?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – I fought Cunningham twice – we have a draw after two fights, so I’ll gladly make it 2-1 in my favor. He’s great champion. His style is maybe not the one tailor-made for me, but I think that Steve is already a bit after his prime and I’m much better than I was when fighting him. Guillermo Jones in my opinion is underestimated by most of the fans and journalists. Huck is very strong and aggressive, but in terms of boxing skills he cant be compared to the best in the division. Alexander Frenkel is the big puncher. My friend from 12 round Knockout Promotions Pawel Kolodziej says he’s the best puncher he had ever sparred or fought with.

Anson Wainwright – Your countryman Tomasz Adamek is fighting in America and has a large following. You have fought there twice, have you ever thought of following him to America and fighting there?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – The problem is that there’re no big CW fights in the America. All the best 200-pounders fight in Europe. Even Steve Cunningham signed Sauerland and fights in Europe.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans out there?

Krzysztof Wlodarczyk – Keep your fingers crossed for “Diablo”. I’m going to show my best against Palacios, and later in the “S6”!

Good luck in your upcoming fight Diablo.

Thank You. Greetings for al the 15rounds.com readers.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

It was August 1987 when I first read the name Lenny LaPaglia, mmmmm correction possibly a few month’s earlier when I read somewhere in the English trade paper Boxing News about an Italian American called Lenny LaPaglia wanting to fight the then World I.B.F super middle champ Chong Pal Park after dismantling one of Park’s former challenger’s in Marvin Mack inside of a round, Mack had taken Park the full course!
Let’s roll forward a few month’s and I read that my hero Doug Dewitt has got a win over a certain Lenny LaPaglia and was back to winning way’s after the shattering loss the previous Febraury at the hands of Puerto Rican puncher Jose ‘Pepo’ Quinones.

Reading that Dewitt had been badly hurt in the ninth, I kind of figured this Lapaglia guy whom I vaguely remembered reading of a few months back must be able to punch to be able to shake a tough guy like Doug, telling my great uncle Alf himself of Italian parentage and a former pro flyweight back in the 1930’s of Dewitt’s win, Alf a scholar of the noble art remarked of LaPaglia and seemed surprised I knew little of him as Alf remarked of Lenny as the kayo king!
Sadly Alf would pass the following December and I remember him saying I’d soon give up following my new found hobby and get interested in something else, if only he knew that I wouldn’t and some day I’d even interview the guy he called the kayo king! I’m sure he’s somewhere up there now smiling down on me during this interview……now he know’s…..

Michael Angelo Serra: So tell me Lenny how did life begin? and what was the place you grew up like?
Lenny LaPaglia: I grew up in Melrose park, Illinois, an all Italian neighbourhood.

M S: How did you become a fighter? what was it that told you that you were going to be a boxer?
L L: I became a fighter by not taking any shit from anybody that I believe had it coming to them in my opinion anyway.
I guess it was a gift I just had, I had a lot of fights just by hanging out with all my Italian friends, and with them noticing the way I punched they said ‘you should box and that might just keep you out of trouble’.

M S: Other than yourself did any one else box in your family before you box?
L L: No

M S: So Lenny you mentioned that your friends told you about the way you punched, so would you consider yourself a naturally gifted puncher? was your power something that you was born with?
L L: Yes, it’s almost like throwing a ball, some people can just throw good and other’s like myself can throw it all the way!!! that’s the way I fought, I just went for it!! I always gave it 110%.

M S: So you have what I would call raw power, a gift from God?
L L: No, I had the raw power.

M S: So do you feel it was something you feel you were born with? and not something a trainer nurtured by teaching you to turn your shoulder into a punch?
L L: It really came from being trained to me by my trainer Pat La Cassa.

M S: Sounds to me you got plenty of knockouts on the streets before you ever did in the ring?
L L: Yes I did have a lot of knockout street fights also.

M S: When you first began boxing, how old was you? And what did you achieve in the unpaid game?
L L: I started boxing at the age of 16 years old. And I achieved experience and confidence, enough confidence and determination to win the 1978 Chicago Golden Gloves Novice middleweight championship at 165lbs.

M S: So what was your record in the amatuers? kayo’s etc?
L L: I’m not sure about that, I’ll have to find out, I have that somewhere around here.

M S: Bet you scored some pretty vicous kayo’s in the streets? if so what one street fight or street fights stand out in your memory?
L L: I don’t really want to talk about that Mike, sorry. {Lenny changes his mind}
Yeah I guess you can say that, well there were a few that when we did {streetfight} you can say it was RAGE-O-LICHIS!!!

M S: What is RAGE-O-LICHIS? {laughs}
L L: RAGE-O-LICHIS speaks for itself!!! when the Rage is RAGING it’s RAGE-O-LICHIS!!!

M S: So how did the nickname ‘The Rage’ come about?
L L: So I got my name {The Rage} from before boxing. From friends of mine from fighting in the streets really, and it just stuck with me.

M S: You had a terrific kayo streak before the Collins fight, you stopped every opponent, many inside of a few rounds, with one lasting just before the fifth round, surely it must have been the best kayo streak at the time in World boxing?
L L: Well I never researched it. But John Collins was right up there with his record as well, I have to give all props to John Collins as he was a true champion as well.

M S: Lenny the Collins fight was a war and despite being dropped twice by Collins you showed so much heart that Lou Duva took an interest in you after this fight, tell me more about your thoughts going into the Collins fight?
L L: Well, by me fighting Collins was really a next step up in class in my career and Collins career at the same time.
We both being undefeated and both of us having a great ko record, I had no bad feeling towards John Collins going into this fight, and as far as the Italian-Irish stuff, everyone know’s that’s all PR and the build up for the fight.

M S: Would you say the Collins loss improved you as a fighter?
L L: For sure it did, first it teaches you how to lose. Second it gave me more experience, taught me how to get knocked down and get back up and finish a ten round fight for the first time in my career, John Collins was a great fighter.

M S: So you go on after the loss to Collins to lose to half decent Danny Blake twice, so after three consecutive losses, piling up a few more ko win’s you then go fight Carlos Tite in his home state, what happened in that fight? Tite wasn’t a bad fighter, how come you lost the fight?
L L: I don’t think I lost that fight!! we fought in his hometown of Hammond, Indiana and I was ROBBED!!!!

M S: After the loss to Tite, a few more wins get you a fight with Mike Moore for the Illinois state championship, it must have been nice to have been a champion of your own place of origin? was it one of the high’s in your career?
L L: No, that was not one of my high’s in my career, I knew I was going to knock out Moore, with a 6-9 record and the boxers he fought, I knew he wasn’t in the same league as me.

Be sure to look out for part two of my interview with Lenny in the coming weeks!

Michael Angelo Serra interviewing former World cruiserweight champion Lenny ‘The Rage’ LaPaglia

Margate’s not particulary that well known for it’s fistic prowess in the fight game, Sven Hamer a Swede and Takaloo an Iranian formed the gloved threat from the seaside resort from the South coast in good old England some years ago…..British fighter’s from the postcard setting of the famous seaside resort have been few and far between until now that is……..enter Jack ’13’ Morris and the very subject of this interview fellow Margate native Daniel Woodgate, as you possibly know I’d done an interview with Daniel before that touched on his early day’s in the fight game and his even earlier days as a kid in a tough part of Kent called Sidcup. {please check under my name for our first interview if you missed it}
However since our last interview Daniel has fought quite a few times though he seemed unlucky to lose on points to fellow prospect Sammy Couzens over four rounds, Daniel has bounced back with two win’s in as many week’s and since the Couzen’s defeat there’s been a few changes made in team Woodgate and also on a happy note in his personal life Daniel became a father for the first time when on Christmas eve his baby daughter Evilyn was born.
Daniel has got back on track since the Couzens defeat, 2011 has I just mentioned as got off to a flying start with win’s over tough uncompromising type’s in Jodie Meikle and the big punching Elvis Dube, however prior to his daughter’s birth just after the loss to Couzens Daniel relocated away from his family and friends to Manchester to try and get some much sought after guidance from the Manchester fight scene, and notably Daniel’s come on in abundance!
Manchester a place best known for Coronation street and the great red-blue divide due to that of the city’s great footballing rivalry {though don’t tell Daniel that, like me his a staunch West Ham supporter} however it’s no surprise why Daniel relocated to the Northern city as it’s considered British boxing’s home, James J Braddock, yes the Cinderella man was born there and moreso Ricky Hatton amongst other’s put Manchester on the boxing map, World heavyweight champ David Haye’s last two defences of his W.B.A heavyweight crown have also been there so it tell’s you the type of place boxing wise were talking here.

M S: Firstly I’d like to offer my congratulations to you on the birth of your daughter Evelyn on Christmas eve, surely that’s a Christmas you won’t forget, obviously now a proud father, so beside’s boxing how doe’s it feel to be a dad? Are you enjoying the joy’s of fatherhood?
D W: I’m loving it mate it’s an amazing feeling and has really given me a boost in my attitude to succeed.
She’s beautiful like her mum, they’ve both given me that little extra incentive and would like to be able to give something back to them in the form of a belt.

M S: What do you think of the super six series that’s going on in your weight category, and who do you think will be crowned the champion supreme?
D W: I think it’s a great thing, before it started I’d have definately said Carl Froch would have won it, but looking at it now I’d say it’ll be Ward or Kessler.

M S: What do you think of your division domestically?
D W: I think it’s amazing, I could quite easily walk around at 14 stone plus at cruiser and a lot of people say to me why don’t you go to cruiserweight, there’s no one about and I would say the best fighters are at super middle and the second best competition around my area {weight} is light heavy and I want to fight the best so what’s the point in fighting bums to be a champion, if you want to be a champion you got to fight the best fighters and I think it’s amazing like Degale, Groves, Paul Smith, Magee and I think it’s really exciting at the moment and I’d like to be involved in it.

M S: Who do you consider the best out of the likes of British champ Paul Smith, Groves, Degale and Jeffries?
D W: At the moment I’d say Groves, he had a bit of a dodgy one in his last fight but it was a massive night in Las Vegas, obviously the travelling and it could’ve got to him but he weren’t no mug the guy he fought, when he first started out I was a big fan of Jeffries but it seems to me he’s heart’s gone out of it, he just doesn’t seem that he’s bothered but to be honest I cannot stand James Degale, his attitude towards other fighters and the sport itself is digusting, I can not stand him I would quite happily give me two or three fights I’d put myself in with him and I reckon I’d knock him out and I reckon I could, I don’t really rate him at all, he slaps when he punches, he moves are very strange I don’t know what his movement’s about but he’s a typically good amatuer which whose fast tracked into being a pro.

M S: Who’d win out of Degale and Groves?
D W: Both are really open and it’d be a great fight between them two and I certainly see Degale getting knocked out in the first couple of rounds, as soon as Groves hit’s him Degale will go!

M S: So are you a full time pro, or do you hold a day job?
D W: I’m a builder and roofer and I work with my dad Dave and he basically supports my boxing, I got no sponsorship or anything but I’m going to be in a training camp basis so I’m going to be more like a full time pro now and I’ll be able to train everyday and if I need to get away from work my dad helps me out with travelling costs and stuff like that, if it weren’t for my dad I wouldn’t be able to box, he’s seen me through my boxing and he believes in me as well

M S: And what do you like to do in your spare time to unwind?
D W: To be honest I love training I absolutely love training, if I’m not training I go to the cinema, I like going out eating, just basically relaxing and chilling out, I train so hard I don’t really want to do anything on the weekends.

25, Have you a set time for a shot at a title?
No I haven’t set a time with myself but I always said by the time I’m twenty nine, thirty {Daniel’s 27} I’d like to know that I’m going to be going for a title whether it be five years down the line or six months I’d like to know by then that I’m moving up the ranks and I will be getting a chance soon, if I get to that age and I’m still a nobody and I’ve lost fights and I’m not going nowhere then I’d give up, I’m not in it for money I’m only in it to win things, I want to win titles and I want to make all the people that come and watch me and pay all there money to watch me and all my family, I want to make everyone proud of me, and thats basically it for me, so if I’m not going to be anywhere or be winning titles then there’s no point in me doing, I wouldn’t have turned over {gone professional} if I didn’t think I was good enough, that’s the reason I’m in it {to win titles}

M S: Looking at you via your face book photo’s you seem a well conditioned fighter, is super middle where you’ll stay or do you think you’ll eventually move up to light heavy?
D W: I’d like to be super middle, I’d like to stay there purely because that’s where the best competition is at the moment but I don’t know if I can make it {super middle} if not it’ll be light heavyweight I’d fit in quote comfortably there.

M S: What do you thinkk of the current state of boxing?
D W: I think it’s getting better if you’d asked me this two or three years back before Hatton was big and everyone started hearing about Hatton and also David Haye came along, I think boxing’s getting better and I think U.F.C’s took over a few years back for a little bit and people were interested in that, hopefully people can see it for what it is!

M S: Back to Jack, how far do you think your fellow native of Margate can go in the pro ranks and also do you think he could beat the likes of Degale and Groves?
D W: Yeah definately his got the ability he just needs the chance like everyone and the oppurtunity to do it and I think he could probably beat wearing my heart on my sleeve both as it is now but there getting fast tracked so there going to get a lot better a lot quicker but I think Jack can hold his own against them and I know he won’t get stopped by them I know that {if he did lose}.

M S: Oh yeah, his a very durable guy I don’t think {Jack} has ever been floored, have you ever been floored yourself?
D W: No, no I got a chin of granite mate, I’ve been punched with bare fists by massive guys and I’ve always stood up and went back at them, I know it sounds a silly thing to say but I think I was born to fight and it’s the only thing I’ve ever been any good at whether it be street fighting or boxing, I think I was born to fight and I can take a punch, I can give a punch and I’m willing to dig deep and fight to the end so I was definately a warrior in my past life.

M S: I’m gutted I got beat to doing the interview with yourself by a certain Adam Wake, he obvously was a wake before I was! enough of the puns and more of the punches, so what do you want to achieve in boxing and life itself?
D W: I’d love to be an holder of a Lonsdale belt outright, that’s my goal and I’d love to go beyond that but that’s my goal that’s what I’m aiming for it’s an amazing belt, to have it around my waist and have it in a little box tucked away in my loft somewhere and bring it out when the grandkids come around.
That’s what I want and basically in life I just like a nice life and a good family, I’d like to be a boxing fan after my boxing’s over with, I’d like to give something back afterwards, just to have a nice quiet family life.

M S: Also are there any guys in your division you’d like to one day box?
D W: I’d love to fight Degale, absolutely love to fight the guy, as far as light heavyweight’s go no one really, I’d only like to fight Degale because I don’t like him and I’d love to knock him out {laughs}, but anyone whose holding a title I want to beat them, Degale’s the only one, I’d jump at the chance!

M S: So Daniel, what’s the fun part of being a boxer?
D W: The fun part? the training I love training, love training hard, I like the fact you get a bit of recognition when your out in the town and people come up and go ‘Hello Dan’ everyone know’s you and I always wanted to be the centre of attention as a kid I remember getting in the ring and thinking ‘This iss what I’ve wanted all my life!’ I love that side of it, I just enjoy like the training and the little bit of recognition.

M S: and the not so fun part?
D W: Yeah the training {laughs} no there’s nothing about boxing I don’t like, if I didn’t enjoy it I wouldn’t do it, the only part of boxing I don’t like is the skipping.

M S: Margate boxing wise has featured very little success wise, sure you’ve had Sven Hamer and Takaloo, but now we have Jack Morris who won but had to pull out of Prizefighter due to injury, in some respect’s he put Margate on the map, but now with yourself, do you think you guys can put Margate on the map boxing wise, say moreso yourself?
D W: I’d like to think so, I think we definately got the talent to do it, both of us, it’d be nice to go out and get ourselves together and be on the same bill, and two Margate fighters fighting together and like you say try and put Margate on the map but with boxing you need the right oportunity’s and that’s just what we need really, just need the oportunitys, we both got the talent and we both got the want to do it but we’ll see.

M S: So in boxing, what would you like to achieve?
D W: Well I think when I started because it was at the same time as Degale and Groves, my main aim was to be in the mix with them.
Ive since realised not because I’m not good enough but because the way boxing is it’s gonna take me a long time to get to their level so at the moment I’m just concentrating on training hard and making the progress I know I can. I was always in a rush boxing wise because of my age but after watching the like’s of Bernard Hopkins and Mosley I think it’s relaxed me a little. I know that those guys are exceptions to the rule but if they can last in the sport why can’t I? I think that’s something I’d like to achieve….longevity.

M S: also do you have a fan base?
D W: Yeah I got a Facebook page, a couple of thousand people on that and the last fight I had two hundred people coming to watch me, Vinny {Woolford a local fighter} fought on the same show and he sold a couple of hundred tickets as well, I got a lot of people interested in my boxing and everyone I meet likes to know I’m doing well and stuff like that, I think for a one fight pro I got a really good fanbase.

M S: so you mentioned your no longer with Michael Aldiss, so whose managing you nowadays?
D W: I’m now managed by Mickey Helliet, he seem’s a good guy and certainly know’s his way around the boxing scene. I think with Mickey making the right moves on my behalf I can realise my potential.

M S: Who is your favourite active boxer?
D W: Ooh that’s a tough one if you would have asked me six month’s ago I would have said Mayweather hands down but since watching and studying Bernard Hopkins of late I can’t help but see how amazing what he is doing is, he’s a real role model that everyone could learn a lesson from.

M S: Also what fight would you like to see made?
D W: Got to be Pacquaio v Mayweather, that’s the fight we all want to see I think also I’d like to see Woodgate v Degale or Groves {Laughs} nah those guys have come on fast, don’t get me wrong I’d love to have a POP at both of them but when the time is right. They’re way too advanced for me yet gimme a few years and if everything goes the way I plan them boys will be worried when I’m knocking on the door.
D W:

M S: So Daniel you’ve boxed since our last interview against Sammy Couzens, you lost on points please could you tell me more about this?
D W: Yeah no problem, it’s not something I’m ashamed of quite the opposite really. I mean if I hadn’t lost to Couzens I may not have made the changes I think quite clearly needed to be made. I was struggling with fitness in the lead up to the fight, something wasn’t right, it was part mental part physical I think but for some reason I couldn’t seem to get myself fit. I was doing a lot of travelling for work and training in the lead up to the fight, maybe that was it! anyway taking nothing from Couzens he won the fight, after watching the DVD of my fight with Couzens I think it should have been a draw but like I said if I didn’t lose I wouldn’t be training in Manchester now, I think it’ll end up a blessing in disguise.

M S: So you’ve moved to Manchester under the guidance of Ensley Bingham, how’s everything there and are you finding it okay up there in Manchester?
D W: I love Manchester the place, the people I just love it and Ensley Bingham in my eye’s is one of the best trainer’s in the country, he’s amazing at his job and under him I know I’ll be a champ. I went up for three weeks to train for a fight that ended up cancelled and I came home like an animal, I was lighter than I’ve ever been, faster, more powerful and in a mood to do some damage. As they say it’s different gravy up there. Don’t get me wrong like, Alldis was an excellent trainer and I learned a hell of a lot from him, I just think the travelling did me in the end.

M S: You’ve had to give up work, family and friends to chase your dream, I tip my hat to you are you adjusting okay or do you miss home?
D W: Yeah missing my family is the hardest part of being away, I’m very close with my family and just having a little baby of my own has made it even harder to contemplate but I keep telling myself I’m doing it so she can be proud of her daddy.

M S: Aparently I hear someone’s been trying to cause a rift between yourself and Jack, that you’ve been going around saying that you’ve bashed him up in sparring and want to get a fight with him so you can do a number on him, you’ve both told me one time or the other that your good friends, it to me doesn’t make any sense, obviously in our first interview you clarified that it was you and not Jack who was getting the worst of your respective sparring sessions, have you a message for that certain individual, also why do you think they’re trying to cause trouble between you guy’s?
D W: Yeah it’s a strange one this, the first I heard was a text from Jack himself asking why I’ve been saying stuff. I explained that wasn’t the case and that was that really. It’s either someone stirring stuff or someone has got the wrong end of the stick, anyway Jack’s a mate and want him to go all the way so it’s not an issue in my eye’s.

M S: Maybe it’s a promoter?
D W: Wouldn’t have thought so, don’t think either of us are that important {Laughs}

M S: So Daniel now your a proud father, is Manchester still an option or are you due to your latest arrival coming back home and basing yourself back in Margate where training’s concerned?
D W: I’m staying put in Manchester like I said before I’m doing this for my family, I know it’s going to be hard and I’m not looking forward to being away from little Evelyn but it’s the best oppurtunity I’ve had so far in boxing and I’d be a fool not to go for it.

M S: Jack was in Prizefighter the light heavy’s, is this also something you’d like to be featured in someday?
D W: I’d jump at the chance, it’d set my career up nicely.

Look out for part three of me and Daniel’s interview, where I’ll be asking about Daniel’s latest two victories amongst other topics concerning his career.
Michael Angelo Serra reporting from home

The Victor Ortiz that is about to debut at 147 pounds looks the same as the Victor Ortiz that fought at 140 pounds, but he sounds a whole lot different.

Last Wednesday during a press conference to promote his upcoming bout against WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, the normally energetic and charming Ortiz continuously struck a different tone — a more vicious one.

“It wasn’t until last fight…it was one of those things in the end I felt like a piece of gum on the bottom of somebody’s shoe,” Ortiz said to a room full of dining media members.

Ortiz, of course, was referring the criticism he faced following his ten round majority draw with Lamont Peterson last December. It was a fight that saw Ortiz knock Peterson down on two separate occasions, and it was a fight that many, including myself, thought Ortiz deserved to win despite his ghostly act in the latter rounds.

Immediately following that fight, which was televised on HBO as the featured undercard bout for the Amir Khan-Marcos Maidana main event, Ortiz spoke to the media at the post fight press conference.

His opening remarks were, “First off, let me just say that I’m just blessed to be here. I had fun tonight.” He continued on, “The results weren’t quite what I was expecting and I disagree with them…Amir and Maidana had a great fight and it was close, but mine wasn’t as close, I don’t think. But hey I have nothing to say. I thought I pulled it off.”

Ortiz went on to talk a bit more about his fight, crack some jokes about Harry Potter, and he thoughtfully closed his portion of the press conference by wishing members of the media a Merry Christmas.

But that was then, and this is now.

It’s no secret that Ortiz has gone through some very public growing pains — specifically his loss to the aforementioned Maidana in March 2009. Combine the criticism he received after that fight with the equally harsh words that followed the draw with Peterson, and suddenly Ortiz is singing a different tune.

“I’m tired of this ‘Oh, he’s got no heart, he’s got no balls,’…the list [of criticism] goes on and on and on,” Ortiz said last Wednesday.

Minutes earlier, when speaking with 15rounds.com, Ortiz said, “I’ve gone through enough rough patches these last two years. I think it’s a very unfair thing how everyone just criticizes me and treats me. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m done playing that nice role, always trying to please everyone. It gets you nowhere.”

And to that point, I think Ortiz has an argument. Unfortunately in the boxing business The Golden Rule of treating others as you wish to be treated doesn’t apply.

When Ortiz spoke last Wednesday, in many cases he did so with his signature smile. However, it was evident that behind that smile hid frustration and disappointment towards his critics.

In many ways, the move up to 147 for Ortiz can serve as a fresh start — a start that if all goes according to plan would see him leave the MGM Grand at Foxwoods with the WBC welterweight title in tow. That would

“You know what, it’s kind of one of those things where if everyone at 140 is scared to fight you, why stick around? So I moved up to 147,” Ortiz said of his decision to climb one rung up the divisional ladder. “They say Andre Berto is the best [at 147]. I disagree.”

Unlike most of Berto’s previous fights, the outcome of this one is not predetermined, Perhaps that’s why it’s an intriguing bout. Although Berto is the clear favorite to retain his title, Ortiz has some pop in his hands. He put Maidana down three times in during scrap and more recently he floored Peterson twice. Couple Ortiz’s punching power with the relatively untested chin of Berto and we may get a memorable fight in just a few weeks time.

Even though Ortiz spoke in a different tone last week, one thing remained constant — and that was his confidence.

“Alright, hey, it’s my turn,” Ortiz said. “I know I’m against tough opposition. Andre Berto is no chump. He’s the champ for a reason. But April 16th, I’m changing that.”

All of us who love boxing look forward to watching him try.

Kyle Kinder can be found on Twitter.com/KyleKinder or KyleKinder1@gmail.com

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

Most Boxers will tell you their not scared of anyone. This came to pass for Luis “El Nica” Concepcion 22-1(17) a few weeks back when he was confronted by a Bull and was left needing 7 stitches. As one of his trainers joked “You should not worry, If he is not afraid to be in front of a bull imagine when he is in front of another boxer”. Thankfully the heavy handed Panamanian is fine and looking forward to making his first defence of the crown he was awarded in January when Daiki Kameda abdicated from his thrown as WBA Flyweight champion. It allowed Concepcion 25, to be made up from the Interim champion to full champion. It allowed him to add his name to an impressive band of his countryman that includes Roberto Duran, Panama Al Brown, Eusebio Pedroza plus many others. Having achieved his first goal he intends to prove he deserves to be mentioned in such illustrious company. Here’s what “El Nica” had to say on various subjects from his career, private life to his recent brush with the bull.

Hello Luis, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly recently you were attacked by a bull recently. Can you tell us where this happened, how it happened and how you are after the attack?

Luis Concepcion – I was in a fare and I participated in an activity practiced by farmers in the region in which “play” with a cow without hurting her, I slipped and I was hit by its horns, it was nothing serious and I am quite recovered.

Anson Wainwright – You were made up to full WBA champion when Daiki Kameda decided to vacate the title to move up in weight. Do you think he did this so he wouldn’t have to face you?

Luis Concepcion – Yes, after my success against Denkaosan Kaovichit, he realized he could not beat me.

Anson Wainwright – Your scheduled to fight on 2 April, who will you be facing? What is your plan for 2011?

Luis Concepcion – I’ll face a Mexican boxer; Hernan “Tyson” Marquez. My goals are to make several defences and, if possible, unify with another champion.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team? Also what gym do you regularly train at?

Luis Concepcion – My coach is Francisco Arroyo and I practice at the Gym “Maco” Arboleda in Panama.

Anson Wainwright – In your last fight you impressively stopped Denkaosan Kaovitchit inside the first round. What can you tell us about that fight and how happy you were to beat such a strong opponent?

Luis Concepcion – I thought it would be harder, but I did my job and, thank God, got the win and I feel very happy because after beating an opponent at this level are more doors open for me in my career

Anson Wainwright – How easily to you make Flyweight? Might you have to move up in weight soon or are you comfortable at 112. What is your walk around weight?

Luis Concepcion – Now I feel good, I want to make several defenses. Unify and then think about weight gain, but later. My normal weight is 128 lbs.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your younger days growing up in Panama? Did you have a tough upbringing?

Luis Concepcion – Yes, it was difficult. My youth was spent largely in Nicaragua (9 years) and then returned to Panama at age 16.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first get into Boxing?

Luis Concepcion – Once, when I sold empanadas (pastries stuffed with meat or cheese) in the street, I passed by the “24 de Diciembre” community gym and saw some guys sparring. There I told the coach that I challenge the best fighter he had there, I did 2 rounds with a boxer, Marcos Suñé, who clearly beat me until I swelled an eye. Despite that, I told the coach that I would return the next day and kept my word, the next day I went back to sparring again and this time it was a closer fight. That was when the coach saw that I had the potential for boxing and invited me to work out at the gym, at first I did it for personal defence, but over time I realized I had talent and I got into.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing to relax? What are you hobbies and Interests?

Luis Concepcion – I like to dance and go to the beach.

Anson Wainwright – What do you consider you best performance and what opponent do you think was the toughest you have faced so far?

Luis Concepcion – My best performance was my last defense against Denkaosan Kaovichit and the most difficult opponent in my career was Omar Salado.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think of the other champions and top fighters at Flyweight WBC Pongsaklek Wongjongkam IBF Moruti Mthalane & WBO Julio Cesar Miranda.

Luis Concepcion – I have not had a chance to see them fight but respect them.

Anson Wainwright – What fighters did you look up to and were your hero’s growing up? What would you be doing if you weren’t a boxer?

Luis Concepcion – In my youth I was not a big fan of boxing, I followed the great fights of boxers like Oscar De La Hoya and Tito Trinidad. If I would not be a boxer, perhaps I continue selling empanadas on the street.

Anson Wainwright – Your nickname is “El Nica” what does that mean and how did you get that name?

Luis Concepcion – I got it because when I returned to Panama I had Nicaraguan accent, so the people of the District “Las Paredesl” began to call me that name. In Nicaragua I was called “The Panamanian.”

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Boxing world?

Luis Concepcion – To all the fans in the world I want to say that I will continue giving 110% in each of my fights to fulfill my goal and my dream to make my mark in boxing.

Thanks for you time “El Nica” I hope you recover well from the injury and get back to thrilling us in the ring with your performances.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek Thoughts – I was really looking forward to Klitschko-Solis and happy that Solis had come in at a decent weight. He started well enough and landed a few decent shots but as soon as Dr Ironfist landed that shot to the temple Solis looked in trouble. However he had no chance when his knee blew out, that’s a tough break to what had looked to be shaping up nicely…As Joe Frazier once famously said “Kill the body and the head will die.” Well that’s what Lucian Bute did to Brian Magee on Saturday in Montreal over ten rounds…In Ireland Guillermo Rigondeaux showed his class upping his record to 8-0(6) taking apart over matched Willie Casey inside a round http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCXE9FmQquY …Anthony Crolla-Gavin Rees for the British Lightweight title is a great addition to the Khan-McCloskey bill on 16 April in Manchester.

Dante Jardon needed just 1:44 to stop Humberto Martinez in a scheduled twelve round Jr. Lightweight bout in Salon, Mexico

Jardon dropped Martinez with a vicious uppercut to the chin and moments later it was another hard uppercut that sent Martinez to the canvas and the fight was stopped.

Jardon is now 16-1 with fourteen knockouts. Martinez is now 24-6-1.

Jonathan Duran and Rodrigo Mejia fought to a eight round draw in a Welterweight bout.

Duran of Mexico is now 11-1-1. Mejia of Laredo, TX is now 4-3-2.

David Carmona scored a six round majority decision over Jose Amador in a Flyweight bout.

Carmona is now 5-1-2. Amador is 3-3

If there was a theme from last weekend – and you’re right to shake your head; there probably wasn’t – that theme might be: Trust your first reaction. Boxing threw a showcase for itself and succeeded in few ways. Those ways included a proof of Canadian fans’ loyalty and passion, a new euphemism for aficionados, and an enthusiasm for a prospect that stays well ahead of his accomplishments.

Too much happened in our sport on Friday and Saturday to ignore it, but not enough was done by any one professional to merit 1,000 words. Mishmash, fruit salad, potpourri; choose your analogy, then, and see what follows.

The weekend’s second best performer was Lucian Bute, the IBF super middleweight champion who stopped an Irishman two days after St. Patrick’s Day – which, depending on the Irishman, is either a remarkable feat or not much of a feat at all. Brian Magee was the rare Irishman who spent his people’s special day abstaining from drink and merriment. He came to win, and he made a good showing for himself till Bute’s curious left hook, thrown more like an uppercut from his southpaw stance, dropped and canceled him in the 10th round.

When he commits to his punches, Bute is a pleasure to watch. As a southpaw, he should not be able to hit you with a liver shot. The angle is all wrong for a fighter with his right foot in the lead; the trajectory of a punch thrown with the left hand is generally too straight, or too wide, to sneak its way into the spot between the bottom rib and the top of the right hip. Those few southpaws that finish an opponent with a left hook to the body – Gerry Penalosa comes to mind – usually do it by crossing-over and throwing the left hook from an orthodox stance. Not Bute.

There is a poetry to his left hook, and it stirs the French Canadien soul of Quebecers – 14,000 of whom turn out for each Bute prizefight in Montreal’s Bell Centre. So Canadian fight fans were the weekend’s best performers, again. Nobody fears how boring they could make a fight with Andre Dirrell, and can any aficionado honestly say the same about Bute?

What’s this talk of aficionados, anyway? We were promised a euphemism. Here it is: Beta testers. That’s what you were if you endeavored to watch heavyweight Vitali Klitschko defend the family’s titles against an outstanding Cuban amateur named Odlanier Solis, Saturday afternoon. It was a loser-leaves-town match between Solis and the website streaming his challenge from Germany, and officials are still hunched over a pixelated video in an effort to determine who performed worse.

Solis initially looked good as a man can in a fight with a Klitschko. He landed at least one punch for every minute he was across from Vitali. And then, while most American viewers waited for their username to be verified or their video to load or their computer to restart, Solis found himself semi-struck on the head by a punch from Klitschko.

Solis’s left leg went stiff. His right leg went soft. He collapsed in an ignominious pile – made more suspicious by Wladimir Klitschko’s wrestling his brother away from the Ali-over-Liston pose Vitali had in mind.

Trust your first reaction.

Sometime in the next few days, there will be a press release issued from a European hospital. It will cite an unnamed doctor saying that, in his 50 years of practicing medicine, the damage done to Solis’ leg in the first round is the worst he’s ever seen. It will imply you’re dishonorable for doubting the integrity of Solis and his management team.

Trust your first reaction. The way you did when Kermit Cintron leaped out the ring against Paul Williams; the way you did when reading Devon Alexander had to have the nerves over his eye stitched together after Timothy Bradley; the way you did when Ricardo Mayorga started shaking his left fist after being shaken by a left fist from Miguel Cotto. And the way you did when the first connection error popped-up while you tried to connect to Klitschko-Solis.

Press releases on that debacle are sure to follow. A website that deserves to remain nameless spent much on marketing its boxing-broadcast debut, last week. It spent a goodish sum on in-studio commentators, too, one supposes. It did not spend nearly enough on technical resources. Or maybe it did, and fight aficionados were simply slotted for the unwitting-beta-tester role.

Which brings us, limping, to the as-yet-unjustified praise prospect James Kirkland continues to collect. Some serious, knowledgeable people who’ve seen middleweight champion Sergio Martinez on television and Kirkland in the gym believe Kirkland has Martinez’s number. Possibly. But Kirkland looked a spot less than monstrous Friday night while making his post-incarceration Telefutura debut against an unknown Colombian named Jhon Berrio.

Kirkland gets hit lots. It’s part of his charm and strategy. He is certain an even exchange with any man in the world will find his power-to-chin ratio superior. The probability of Kirkland’s disproving that theorem, though, grows with his weight. At 154 pounds, Kirkland was a beast. At 160 pounds, he remains an unproven entity.

But wise moves are being made in his behalf. He is out of Austin, Tex., where he was a self-described target. He is now in Las Vegas. And he is fighting monthly. Cheer for his future success, then, for one reason: Other fighters might emulate his activity.

While you’re cheering, though, let no one make you feel stupid for being unconvinced. Let no commentator berate you into compliance. Let no craftily worded press release infect you with doubt. Because boxing hasn’t won any new fans in the last couple of years, you’ve surely been around long enough to trust your first reaction.

Bart Barry can be reached on Twitter @bartbarry

PHOENIX – You won’t find the hours loading trucks, or the nights as a security guard, or the days as a temporary Census employee anywhere in Jesus Gonzales’ fight-by-fight record. You won’t find many losses, either.

“I did whatever I could to bring in some money,’’ said the once-beaten Gonzales, a one-time prospect and full-time dad who goes back to work at the only job he has ever wanted Friday night at Celebrity Theatre in a homecoming against Dhafir Smith of Philadelphia.

It’s not the career that Gonzales had envisioned in 2003 when Top Rank signed him to a contract that included a $250,000 bonus.

Then, he was compared to Oscar De La Hoya. Then, he seemed destined to succeed and even surpass Michael Carbajal’s Hall of Fame impact on the Phoenix boxing market. Then, it seemed as if nothing could get in his way.

Now, we know that a lot has.

“It’s been a rocky road,’’ Gonzales said. “Yeah, real rocky.’’

But it’s not over, at least not if Gonzales (25-1, 14 KOs) can prevail at 168 pounds against Smith (24-19-7, 4 KOs), a more experienced super-middleweight who beat former and faded champion Jeff Lacy in his last outing.

The bout, Gonzales’ first at home in about four years, represents an initial step in an attempt to recapture the promise he displayed as an amateur about a decade ago.

Before Emanuel Steward quit as the U.S. Olympic coach before the 2004 Athens Games, he said Gonzales would be America’s best bet for a gold medal. Gonzales, who decided to forego the Olympics, had beaten Andre Berto and Alfredo Angulo. He also beat Andre Ward, America’s lone gold medalist in Athens. In fact, Gonzales is the last one to beat Ward, an unbeaten pro and the Super Six super-middleweight favorite who has said he would like to avenge that loss in a rematch.

For a while, it looked as if his amateur accomplishments and early promise as a pro would be only memories, stories he could tell could tell his 4-year-old son, Ernie III. But then he began to realize he had not been forgotten

When he was loading trucks at Target and working security at Metro Tech High School, he would hear his nickname, El Martillo, Spanish for The Hammer.

“All the time,’’ said Gonzales, who fights as Jesus but is known simply as Ernie by friends and family. “People would stop for a second, look and say ‘Hey, Martillo, is that you?’’

At 26, Gonzalez is near or at his physical prime. That means undiminished power. For anybody who had forgotten about it, Gonzales delivered a stinging reminder in November in Calgary against Jason Naugler, also a former Top Rank prospect. He won a second-round stoppage, leaving Naugler with broken ribs.
But that power, Gonzales says, is now only one of his weapons. The difference, he says, is in when and how he uses it. Another difference is the absence of his father, also Ernie, in his corner. One of the issues with Top Rank was Gonzales’ dad. Father and son are still close. But trainers from the Busted Knuckles Gym in north Phoenix will be in the corner Friday night. Ernie Sr., will be nearby, but in a seat at ringside.
In Calgary, Gonzales’ corner was manned by longtime friend Rafael Valenzuela, a high-school classmate and featherweight whose string of bad luck continues. Valenzuela, who was disqualified in his last fight, was scheduled for the Friday card. But his bout fell through when his opponent failed to make weight Thursday at Carbajal’s Ninth Street Gym.

“Rafael is a good trainer, a real good trainer,’’ Gonzales said. “So is my dad. But one of the things I learned is that you can’t have family in your corner. It just gets confusing. I know that now. If there’s one thing I could do over, I wouldn’t be as hard-headed as I was when I was younger. I thought I knew it all. I should have listened to those Top Rank guys. They’ve been there. They know about the business. They can put you in position to win. You can learn from them. ’’

Gonzales says a key part of his newfound learning curve is happening within the ropes.

“It’s about boxing, all about boxing skills,’’ said Gonzales, who eight years ago would abandon tactics in an erratic bull-rush that inevitably left him open for a career-changing loss an 8th-round TKO, to Jose Luis Zertuche in 2005. “I’ve learned a lot in a lot ways since then. Now it’s time for me to give this career one more big push.

After Top Rank dropped him in the wake of Zertuche, he moved to Houston to train with Kenny Weldon. He went 8-0, but his career went nowhere.

“There were good guys there, but they just didn’t have any pull,’’ Gonzales said.

He thought he was in line for a mandatory shot at a minor title held by Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., a Top Rank fighter.

“But Top Rank wouldn’t talk about it, wouldn’t talk at all’’ said Gonzales, who fights Smith Friday for the International Boxing Federation’s vacant version of the North American 168-pound title.

A minor IBF championship is significant only for the possible ranking attached to it. Gonzales’ new promoter, Canadian Darin Schmick of Fanbase Promotions, says that if Gonzales wins, he could get ranked among the super-middleweight’s second five.

“We’ve calculated No. 6 or No. 7,’’ said Schmick, who has signed Gonzales to a five-fight deal. “But this a tough fight and Jesus has to win.’’

Nobody knows that better than Gonzales. Once was enough to tell him what can happen if he doesn’t.

NOTES
· Schmick said Wednesday at a news conference that he has talked to Top Rank about including Phoenix prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. on a Fanbase card in April. Benavidez, an unbeaten junior-welterweight, fights Friday in Tijuana. He has yet to fight in his hometown. Top Rank had scheduled him for a bout in Phoenix last year. But the card was canceled because of the controversy over Arizona’s immigration legislation, SB 1070.

· Another reason to appreciate the Klitschko brothers came from Vitali Wednesday during a call promoting his fight in Germany Saturday night for the WBC heavyweight title against Cuban Odlanier Solis. The bout will be televised by EPIX, a new entry in the boxing broadcast game. Vitali talked about the ongoing catastrophe in Japan. Explosions and reports of a potential meltdown at a Japanese power plant reminds him of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. “My father was there,’’ said Vitali, a Ukrainian. “I know how big this tragedy is. I want to support Japan’s people. I want to support the people who are fighting right now against this tragedy. And we definitely will make a donation from this fight to support Japan. I know how hard it is. I know how dangerous. It touched my family.

For many years when we watched the Boxing at the Olympics we would wonder at the greatness of many of the Cubans, knowing that we’d never see them in the pro game after Fidel
Castro banned professional sports on the Island in the 1950’s. There was a long line of brilliant pugilists who never made the leap Teofilo Stevenson, Felix Savon et al. However in late 2006 news broke that three 2004 Olympics gold medallists had defected whilst in a training camp in Venezuela. One of them was Yuriorkis “El Ciclon de Guantánamo” Gamboa. He moved quickly impressing fans and media alike with his blinding hand speed and crowd pleasing offensive skills that set him apart from the rest. While the rule of thumb with most Cubans is that they are by and large stylists, whereas Gamboa is far more aggressive and looks for the KO. After just 2 years in the pro ranks Gamboa won the WBA featherweight title, after 3 successful defences he added the IBF crown to his list of achievements. Next up for Gamboa is Jorge Solis on 26 March in Atlantic City. If Gamboa beats Jorge Solis on 26 March in Atlantic City, NJ a fight with Puerto Rican star Juanma Lopez will be one step closer. It is hoped that the two who seem to be on a collision course will meet later in 2011. For now Gamboa 29, will focus his attention on Solis and look to improve his 19-0(15) record. Here’s what Gamboa had to say.

Hello Yuriorkis, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly in your last fight you won the IBF Featherweight title when you beat Orlando Salido. What can you tell us about the fight & how happy were you with that performance?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – At this stage of my career every fight is special and fights are getting harder and harder because the opponents are getting stronger and stronger. Salido was a world champion like me. I knew he would come to fight and that he wouldn’t just hand over his belt to me. I think it was a good fight. I know that I still have room for improvement. Together with my trainer Ismael Salas I am analyzing every fight very closely. We are both perfectionists so we always want to look better in the next fight.

Anson Wainwright – Chris John is the WBA “Super” Featherweight champion it has been said that you may both fight this year, can you tell us about developments with that fight? If that fight didn’t come off do you have a plan B?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – There are talks about a lot of fights. I think there are many great possible fights out there in the division right now. Chris John is always an interesting option. For the moment I fully focus on my next opponent Jorge Solis from Mexico. I will face him on March 26th in Atlantic City. I expect a very tough fight again against a strong opponent.

Anson Wainwright – Word is that if both you & JuanMa Lopez win your next fights you could fight in possibly 2011. What do you think of that fight & how do you rate Lopez?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – I always said that I want to fight JuanMa. To prove that I am the best in the world I have to beat the best and JuanMa is surely a great champion and one of the toughest guys out there. But I will show him that he’s not tough enough for me when we finally meet in the ring.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at regularly?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – Ahmet Oner has been my promoter since I started my professional career back in 2007. He brought me to where I am right now and I thank him for all he’s done for me. He also helped me to reunite with my former amateur coach Ismael Salas who is very important for me. I always knew that I would be a champion at the professionals like I have been champion at the amateurs. But I also felt that Ismael was sort of a missing piece. When I started working with him again I knew nobody could stop me or us as a team. On the promotional side we are also working with Top Rank. They are very experienced and know how to turn fantastic fighters into worldwide superstars like they have done it with Oscar De La Hoya or now with Manny Pacquiao. I live and train in Miami but Ismael is also always looking for different training camps to prepare me perfectly for every single fight.

Anson Wainwright – You were born in Guantanamo, Cuba can you tell us about how things were growing up there & how you first became interested and took up Boxing?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – Growing up in Cuba is totally different from living and growing up in the USA. We didn’t have a lot of opportunities and were very limited in our freedom. Still we managed to get along and were always happy. My father, who also is a very important part of my time now after he left Cuba, was a very good amateur boxer. I followed him to the gym and started hitting the sandbags. I wanted to be like him. That’s how I fell in love with the sport.

Anson Wainwright – You had a fantastic amateur career in which you won a Gold medal at the 2004 Olympics & a bronze at the 2005 World Championships. Can you tell us about those tournaments & other you won? Also what current pro’s did you fight & what was your final record in the amateur’s?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – As a Cuban amateur boxer losing is not an option. Whenever you enter a tournament you enter it to win it. Of course, winning the Olympic gold was still very special. It makes you very proud when you achieve something great for yourself and your country. I knew that the world was watching and it made me feel great that I could live up to the expectations and win the tournament. I think some of the guys I beat at the amateurs turned pro. My opponent in the Olympic final was Jerome Thomas from France. I heard he’s fighting professionally now, too, but I think he only had a couple of fights so far. I always meet people who I know from the amateur times every now and then.

Anson Wainwright – For you how is life different living in Miami than what it was in Cuba?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – You cannot compare living in the United States to living in Cuba. It is just completely different. But I am happy that I was able to reunite with a lot of Cuban friends in Miami. It feels great to live here.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us from your point of view how you came about deciding to defect from Cuba and going pro?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – Actually we hadn’t exactly planned it very thoroughly. It just happened when we got the chance to leave the team. My main problem was that I didn’t feel worshiped. We had won Olympic gold for our country but I didn’t even have enough money to buy a birthday present for my daughter. I asked myself: Why should I stay in a country where the ruling class doesn’t care about me even though I represent my country in the best possible way? It just didn’t seem to make any sense.

Anson Wainwright – Since you, Bhartelemy & Solis left several other like Lara, Rigondeaux etc have joined you. You will know several of the current top Cuban fighters. What one’s in your opinion would make the transition to the pro’s successfully if they were given the chance?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – At the moment there are a lot of great Cuban fighters showing their talent at the pros. And our fans are supporting us very well. Rigondeaux is already world champion, Lara and Solis are on their best ways and there are still a lot of young hungry guys coming up like Johnson, Dorticos, and I have signed some exceptional talents for my own promotional company: My brother Yoelvis, Humberto Savigne and Sullivan Barrera. There are a lot of excellent Cuban fighters who are ready to take over professional boxing.

Anson Wainwright – You have been on the canvas in a couple of your fights and people have questioned your chin. What are your feelings on this?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – As I said before, Ismael Salas and I are analyzing every fight very carefully. If you look at the so called knockdowns you will see that my chin is not the problem. The problem has always been that I have been caught off balance. That is something we are certainly working on.

Anson Wainwright – Away from Boxing what do you like to do? What are your hobbies, interests? What other sports do you follow and what are your teams you support?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – I love boxing. That’s why I founded my own stable in Gamboa Promotions. I am fascinated by the sport as well as by the business side of it. Apart from that I like music and cars and I love to spend my time with my family and friends. That is what is most important to me.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans and perhaps the people in Cuba?

Yuriorkis Gamboa – I want to thank all my fans for supporting me and I can only tell every boxing fan in the world to keep a close eye at ‘El Ciclon’. I will continue to work very hard to meet the expectations of all of my fans. I want to entertain all the people who love boxing as much as I do. Thank you.

Thanks for your time Yuriorkis, keep up the hard work, it’s always entertaining to see you fight.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Weekend Musings – I’ve heard from several sources that Odlanier Solis is in terrific shape ahead of his shot at Vitali Klitschko this weekend. I spoke to Middleweight star David Lemieux who was in camp with Solis. He told me Solis has lost around 30 pounds, he joked with me that he said to Solis that he had Liposuction! Solis has always had the talent but it looked like he lacked the desire to get himself into his optimum condition. If he has got himself into the best possible shape he could cause Vitali some problems this weekend…So Nonito Donaire has left Top Rank for Golden Boy, seems “The Cold War” is burning stronger than ever…After winning last weekend Miguel “Titere” Vazquez could be back defending his title in June I’m told. I hope he’s kept active, as he’s not the most known of fighters and he needs to be kept busy to raise his profile…Alejandro Gonzalez Jr 5-0-1(0) has signed with Ricky Mota and will fight on the undercard of his stable mate Giovani Segura’s rematch with Ivan Calderon. Gonzalez is just 18, fights at Bantamweight. He’s also the son of former WBC Featherweight champion of the same name. It’s hard to believe it was over 15 years ago that “Cobrita” had that terrific war with Kevin Kelley…Word is the much anticipated clash between former team mates turned bitter rivals James Degale-George Groves will take place on 21 May, for Degale’s British title & Groves Commonwealth crown. There is genuine animosity between the two, they hate each other nearly as much as Top Rank & Golden Boy!

The name J.J. Ambrose is likely familiar to those who closely follow mixed martial arts, but if you only follow the older combat sport of boxing, you probably have not heard of him. That is because the young MMA veteran will be making his professional boxing debut this Friday night at the Orange County Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California.

While still a wrestler in high school, Ambrose found his way to sanctioned combat in 2004. Working out at a gym, Ambrose was approached about an upcoming MMA event in nearby Lake Havasu City, Arizona and quickly agreed to fight on the card. “Every weekend we were watching UFC fights, and I remember thinking at the time that if I could just punch Matt Hughes in the face one time, I could be champion,” recalls Ambrose. “Little did I know at the time, I was just a stupid, ignorant kid.”

Despite his ignorance, and only about two weeks of prep time, Ambrose won his first bout against an equally inexperienced foe by guillotine choke. “The guy wasn’t very good as it was, so it wasn’t a big deal,” says Ambrose in retrospect. “But at the time it was huge. I was a kid in high school that won a fight.”

In the years since, Ambrose has dedicated himself to mixed martial arts, amassing a listed record of 15-3, 3 KOs, 9 Submissions. Currently Ambrose lives in San Jose, California and trains alongside some of the world’s best mixed martial artists at the American Kickboxing Academy. Still just 24-years-old, Ambrose has gained recognition while stomping out much of his competition and gaining titles in various regional promotions. However, when Ambrose has stepped up to the more visible level of the sport he has come up short.

In June of 2008, Ambrose was submitted by current UFC competitor Mike Pyle on the Affliction – Banned show in Anaheim, California. “He just outclassed me,” says Ambrose. “He was a notch ahead of me. I was just 21 and had only broken into the sport for a couple years. Experience definitely played into that.”

More recently, Ambrose was featured on the twelfth installment of the UFC’s popular program The Ultimate Fighter. Fighting for a spot on one of the two teams, Ambrose lost a two-round decision to Sevak Magakian. “It was a good experience, but I know who I am now,” says Ambrose. “I am pretty much a family man/fighter. You take me off my rock and I turn into a mental midget. I need my wife and my kid close by. They don’t need to go to the fight, but the weeks leading up, I like having my wife and kid there. I spend a day without them and I start panicking.”

Had Ambrose won entry into the tournament, he would have been living in a house with the other fighters, without any contact with his wife Francesa and baby daughter Juliet. “It got frustrating being there,” says Ambrose. “Just the thought of being there for six weeks without them got rough. It’s one thing to be shut in a house with a bunch of dudes and not be able to call them, it changes everything.”

While his early exit from The Ultimate Fighter meant a missed opportunity at a contract with the UFC, the goal of just about every serious mixed martial artist, Ambrose feels his time will come. “I want to go when I am absolutely ready,” says Ambrose. “I think The Ultimate Fighter brings in guys that aren’t quite ready, but are perfect for the drama. It wasn’t my time. I think in another year or two I will be ready. But right now I just want to focus on getting more experience and more tough fights.”

Since his time on The Ultimate Fighter, Ambrose has fought twice and won both, lastly knocking out Masakazu Taguchi in the first round. Unlike many mixed martial artists that transition or even dabble in boxing, Ambrose is not a striker by trade. “I am more of a ground guy,” says Ambrose. “Recently I went to Thailand for a couple months and did some stand-up, and I ended up knocking out my last opponent with just my hands. I am mostly a wrestler, but I think I am going into uncharted territory for myself and working on my stand-up. So who knows, I may have a boxer-wrestler style now I guess.”

After years of wrestling and mixed martial arts, Ambrose has decided to try his hand at boxing. “I’ve been talking about it for a few years,” says Ambrose. “I have already done mixed martial arts, and boxing is one of the key factors of MMA. I figured I might as well do both. K.J. Noons is real famous for doing both, so I figured I would try the same.
I have been practicing for a while and the opportunity came up.”

Ambrose’s opportunity comes this Friday, as he takes on debuting Stephan Lugo of Newport Beach, California in a four-round middleweight bout. Unlike the aforementioned Noons, Ambrose does not have any designs on claiming titles as a boxer. “I don’t think you [can win titles] in both,” Ambrose believes. “Boxers have to box everyday. Mixed martial artists have to do a wide range of things. I think you could be perfect at only one thing. I don’t think you could be perfect at both. K.J. Noons calling out [Floyd] Mayweather, that is either for publicity or he is delusional.”

In preparing for his first pro boxing match, Ambrose has had to make adjustments in everything from footwork to footwear. “It’s funny, I bought my first pair of boxing shoes and I don’t wear shoes too often,” says Ambrose. “If I wear shoes, they are just a pair of sandals or I pick up a pair of those vibrams and go running with those. Other than that, this is the first pair of shoes I have worn consistently for a while.”

As one could imagine, there are many nuances an MMA fighter has to pick up on to be successful as a boxer. “I’ve had to drop all of my MMA background and learn how to box,” says Ambrose. “Keeping your hands up is huge. There is a lot more pivoting in boxing. MMA fighters seem to go right at each other. Working with boxers is very different. Boxers like to dip their heads down real low, and in MMA you can’t do that because you will get kneed in the face.”

“I can’t say which training his harder, because in boxing, your arms get tired. They are throwing punches the entire three minutes of a round. In MMA, there is down time. You take a guy down. You lay on top of him for a minute and then you transition to something else. When we are standing up, we throw big bombs and then we take a break. In boxing, there is a lot more punches thrown. I have watched CompuBox, and they are throwing 100 punches a round. That is an incredible pace for three minutes.”

Win or lose, it is more than likely that the next time Ambrose stares across at an opponent, it will be as a MMA fighter. “I am just going to see how this fight goes,” says Ambrose. “If it goes well then I will get another one, but at heart I am a MMA fighter. I already miss wrestling. I haven’t wrestled in two months. I have just been doing nothing but boxing. I am ready to get an MMA fight as soon as the boxing match is over, but as supplemental fighting, in between MMA, I wouldn’t mind doing boxing matches.”

J.J. Ambrose is an athlete that enjoys challenging himself, especially with something new or different. This Friday night one such challenge presents itself, and Ambrose would not have it any other way. “I feel like most of my fights were against guys that weren’t up to my caliber, and that is why I beat them,” says Ambrose. “I don’t feel like I’ve beat too many guys on heart or conditioning. It was always about my skill being better than their skill. I’d like some more difficult fights, and that is why I am doing this boxing match. Obviously this guy is going to have better boxing, but we will see how his heart and his conditioning play out.”

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com.

On Saturday night, the heavyweights waters will become less murky once the result of the WBC championship bout between Vitali Klitschko and Odlanier Solis is finalized.

In late January it was announced that Polish heavyweight Tomasz Adamek had inked a deal to fight one of the Klitschko brothers in September at one of two newly built soccer stadiums in Poland.

The deal was structured so that if all three fighters involved won their interim bouts, the Klitschko brothers would decide which one of them would take on Adamek in September. If one of the brothers lost their bout, either Vitali against Solis or Wladimir against Dereck Chisora, Adamek would square of with the brother who won. Lastly, the Adamek fight would be a no-go if both brother’s lost their upcoming bouts or if Adamek lost his April 9 fight against Kevin McBride.

As if that wasn’t complicated enough, Wladimir pulled out of his fight against Chisora for the second time, citing muscle injuries. In addition, resumed negotiations with he and David Haye went so well this time around that all that’s left to be done is to sign the dotted line.

Fans will get to watch all of these scenarios play out over the next few months act, starting in three nights. It’s almost like a television mini-drama, with the first episode airing Saturday night in Cologne, Germany.

However, it seems silly and like a waste of time to break down each fight when there is no guarantee of certain fights taking place.

With regards to Saturday’s fight — I think a 16 seed vs. a number one seed is an appropriate analogy this time of year. In theory, a 16 seed could upset a number one seed in the NCAA tournament, but it hasn’t happened to date and it might never.

In that same sense, Odlanier Solis could be Vitali Klitschko, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Since coming back from retirement, the elder of the two Ukrainian champions has performed like a machine. It can be argued that the thirty-nine year old hasn’t lost a round since his comeback in 2008. Credit the way he methodically breaks down his opponents with effective jab-work and heavy lead hooks for his recent string of success.

Conversely, while Vitali has defended his crown with relative ease over the past few years, Solis has endured some tough bouts of recent just to earn this opportunity.

Almost three months ago today, Solis squared off against Ray Austin to see who would continue their quest towards a title.

The fight ended with Austin being disqualified in the tenth round. If that wasn’t the case there’s a chance Solis wouldn’t even be in Germany on Saturday night.

Although Solis controlled the later rounds against Austin, at the time of the disqualification, one judge had the bout even, one had Austin winning, and the third had Solis up a few points.

Nothing was guaranteed.

After the bout Austin praised Solis saying (as quoted by 15Rounds.com’s Johnny Schulz), “Solis will beat Klitschko, he is accurate and has great defense, if there is any doubt it would be his chin.”

No offense to Austin, but he’s a far cry from Vitali Klitschko.

After Saturday night — when presumably Klitschko thoroughly handles his Cuban counterpart — things will become a bit clearer. It should put us one step closer to Vitali-Adamek and Wladimir-Haye.

If 2011 does indeed shake out to provide fight fans with both David Haye vs. Wladimir Klitschko and Tomasz Adamek vs. Vitali Klitschko, then regardless of the outcomes, we know we got the best possible fights in the division — aside from Klitschko vs. Klitschko.

But, with that said, it is March, and March means madness. It also means upsets. However, at least with regards to Saturday’s clash, I’m taking chalk. I’d be shocked if Cinderella’s glass slipper fits on Solis’ foot.

—

Lastly, a brief write up by Gabriel Cordero on Fightnews.com brought to my attention the creation and launch of www.SalvadorSanchez.com. The site serves as a sort of e-museum that enables those who visit to learn more about the Mexican legend. Photos and videos of Sanchez of in the ring are accessible from the website, as well as personal photos of Sanchez outside of the ring. The site also has tons of Sanchez memorabilia to look at it from fight posters to ticket stubs. It’s a well-organized and fascinating tribute to the great Mexican featherweight. Check it out.

Kyle Kinder can be reached at Twitter.com/KyleKinder or KyleKinder1@gmail.com

While many boxers from around the world look to come to America and get their big break, one American fighter is doing things a little different. Philadelphia native Steve “USS” Cunningham 24-2(12) realised that after just one Television appearance on American airwaves that he needed to change things, so he did just that, making the unusual move of signing with a foreign promoter in the form of German power house Sauerland Events. Fighting abroad is nothing new for Cunningham 34; he’s fought overseas many times. What makes Cunningham more unusual is the fact that he’s also a world champion; he currently owns the IBF Cruiserweight title. However the Cruiserweight division has little appeal in America, whereas it’s one of the show piece weight classes in Europe where all the other champions reside and that is something that certainly interests the former Navy officer, who wants nothing more than to unify the Cruiserweight division. Maybe then America will take notice.

Hello Steve, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you beat Enad Licina in Germany recently. What are your thoughts on the fight & your performance?

Steve Cunningham – Going into the fight with Licina, he was a defensive fighter; he was a pretty good fighter. He won the eliminator, his entry into top level Boxing fighting for the title. We prepared accordingly. The fight was postponed in January from January 23rd to February 12th so we were in Germany for 10 days before we found out it was postponed, then we came back to America and trained and went back 9 days before the fight. When I got there I kind of caught the flu on the first day I got there. I was in bed the Friday, Saturday & Sunday. But I didn’t want to postpone the fight again. So the fight had to go on. So I chose to suck it up. Going into the fight I felt great for the first 3 rounds but come rounds 4 & 5 I felt drained and weak but I still pushed through. I’m pretty happy with my performance in that state, in that condition. I’ve seen the fight I still look sharp, I look good. But on the inside I was hurting. We did everything we set out to do except get the TKO or KO but a unanimous decision with the flu is great in my book.

Anson Wainwright – When are you looking at fighting next?

Steve Cunningham – We have to talk to Sauerland Events, but we want to unify. I want my next bout to be a unification bout. I know there’s been talk about a Cruiserweight tournament and we’ll see what’s up with that but they’ve talked about that for sometime now. I would like to fight again before the end of June, July.

Anson Wainwright – It was your third fight in Germany, you have also fought in Poland & South Africa. How do you feel about fighting away from home?

Steve Cunningham – My experience of fighting abroad is just work harder than you’ve ever worked, train harder, when you get to the fight, fight harder. You take on a totally different mindset. Truthfully in my whole career amateur and pro I’ve only fought at home in Philadelphia one time. I’m used to fighting in other people’s backyards. I believe I was made for this. It means me fighting overseas is suited to me fighting as a professional.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team; who is your manager, trainer & Promoter?

Steve Cunningham – My wife Livvy is my manager, we made the decision in 2006. We made some changes, things weren’t getting done by my other manager and this guy still wanted his percentage! My wife being a Business & Marketing graduate from Boston University and she’s been around Boxing from day one with me and we kinda knew some things and learned some stuff and we’re still learning. I signed a promotional contract with Sauerland Events a German Promoter in May of 2010. That was the best suited deal for me. I have a fan base in Europe and here in America I’ve fought only once on television. So the contract and numbers looked different with a European promoter. We saw how Sauerland do their business, they keep their fighters active, they keep their champions active unlike some promoters in America. I made that decision to go abroad and I’m comfortable with it. Now I have my new trainer Naazim Richardson. He’s been helping me for a few years now; this was the third fight I’ve had with him. We’ve been doing great; he pushes me to to the limits I didn’t think I could go. I feel the world hasn’t seen the best of Steve “USS” Cunningham yet.

Anson Wainwright – It has been mentioned that Sauerland are looking to do a Cruiserweight version of the Super 6. What are your thoughts on that and do you know what’s happening with that?

Steve Cunningham – They’ve just been talking. Everybody had to get their mandatory’s out of the way Krzysztof Wlodarczyk fighting Palacios. I had to fight Enad Licina. I’m ready to go to work and start unifying the division. I don’t know what everybody else wants to do but that’s what I want to do.

Anson Wainwright – Bernard Hopkins is also from Philadelphia and shares the same trainer as you. Can you tell us a bit about the relationship you both share; do you spar & train together?

Steve Cunningham – Our relationship is more we see each other here and there and we talk. Bernard’s always giving advice. He’s in his 40’s and he’s giving the pass the torch speech to me Mike Jones, Eddie Chambers guys like that. It’s a relationship of respect. For me I was in the gym when he was getting ready for Pascal and I was able to see him spar and work out while I work out. It was amazing to see the legend in action, throwing punches, sweating in front of me. I’ve never sparred him but I’ve still learned by watching. I treat him the way I like to be treated. I don’t bother him in the gym. When I go to the gym I go to work and he’s the same type of guy.

Anson Wainwright – Bernard is known as a character, do you have any stories you can share with us?

Steve Cunningham – I have one little story. They had a little presentation at the Blue Horizon and Vernoca Michael was the owner at the time, she had a bunch of Philly fighters there. So they called me in the ring and me and Bernard were up in the ring and he tried to snatch my belt from me playing saying “I’ll take this” that was pretty funny.

Anson Wainwright – You’re in a unique position in that you have defeated all the other Cruiserweight champions WBC Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, WBA Guillermo Jones & WBO Marco Huck what are your thoughts on them as fighters?

Steve Cunningham – Oh man as you say I beat Guillermo Jones, it was a split decision victory for me. That fight was a little tough. But he was a very deceptive fighter, you think you can just go in and do that. That was a tricky fight for me. He’s a very good fighter; he’s a very skilled fighter. I think he’s the best of all the guys I’ve beat. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk is a hard hitter, he picks his spot and tries to rough you up. But he’s fought mainly in Poland, so I look and think with my style being able mix it up, box and punch and I figured we’d go over there and beat him. As you know they cheated me the first fight. That’s one of the loses on my record. Then you have Marco Huck he’s strong, he’s a former kick boxer, he’s rough, aggressive. He wants to knock you out with every punch and that’s a dangerous guy right there. But I’d love to fight all of them again. Unification that’s what fighters want to do, they want to be the champion.

Anson Wainwright – You’re from Philadelphia which has a rich Boxing history, can you tell us how you first became interested in Boxing?

Steve Cunningham – I grew up in Philadelphia. It’s a City where we used to fight before people were shooting each other. I grew up in those years where you could just knuckle up and fight a guy and you wouldn’t have to worry about getting shot. I was the new kid on the block, I moved around a lot so I was picked on here and there so I started standing up for myself and fighting back. I got a bit of a reputation in the neighbourhood. Then I joined the Navy and the base that I trained on was right next to the base where the Navy Boxing team was so I just started working out there. I got my first amateur fight age 19 against the Light Heavy champ of the Navy and I beat him. So I was like man if this is what god wants me to do. This was amazing to me,

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your amateur career and what titles you won? Also what was your final record?

Steve Cunningham – I won the silver medal in the 1998 Armed Forces Tournament, I became regional & state champion of Georgia, Virginia. All this was at Light Heavyweight. National Golden Gloves champion in 1998. I think they’re the main one’s. I only won the National’s once. I had 60 something amateur fights and I think I counted 11 loses. It was my learning process, fighting different styles. I fought Daniel Edouard, I believe Tavoris Cloud, Shaun George, DeAndrey Abron, Michael Simms, Donnell Holmes he’s a Heavyweight, there’s a few in the pro ranks.

Anson Wainwright – You served in the Navy from 1994-1998. Can you tell us about this and how it helped mould you as a fighter?

Steve Cunningham – Oh man that was a real difficult time in my life, going from living with my mom, basically going from a teenager to a man and travelling the world. In the military there are a lot of people telling you what to do. The Navy was great, I liked it at times, I hated it at times but overall if was great for my career, it was great for my life actually. If I had to do it again I’d do it again.

Anson Wainwright – Do you see many good guys coming through from Philadelphia, like the new generation?

Steve Cunningham – We’ve got a lot of talent here in Philadelphia, we have a guy called Emmanuel he fights out of the Rock Ministry gym. Khalib Whitmore he’s actually been my chief sparring partner for the past 3 fights he’s very good, very talented. Umm Bear Richardson, Naazim Richardson’s son. There’s so many amateur’s. There’s one kid we call the future, he’s about 11, he’s so smart in the ring it’s unbelievable. We have Steve Cunningham Jnr he’s going to start competing in tournaments in about a year and a half. Philadelphia’s looking good for the future.

Anson Wainwright – What are your Interests & hobbies away from Boxing that you enjoy doing to relax?

Steve Cunningham – We do things with the church, the school or summer camp. I love going down to the Rock Ministry gym to help the kids out there. I play X-Box a lot a lot, I play Call of Duty, now I’m playing Fight Night. I’m drawing a comic book about my career because I can draw. Making me the Superhero and the guys I’ve fought into Villains, its action packed. Hopefully by the end of the year they’ll be on the stands. I’m not really into other sports, I’ll watch them if it’s a big game like the NBA or Superbowl but I don’t really watch Basketball or Football. I watch soccer when I’m in Europe because that’s mainly what they play. I love Brazil, now I’m going to Germany I try to keep up with German soccer teams. But Brazil is my favourite team. We still own a Pizza shop called One Stop Pizza here in West Philly. We’ve leased it out to another couple because it was a little hectic for me and my wife to run it. We have an apartment above which we’re fixing up, doing something else because Boxing won’t be around forever.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Steve Cunningham – Keep in touch with me on my fan page on facebook Steve USS Cunningham. Keep us in your prayers and thank you for the prayers you’ve given us and stay tuned!

Thanks for your time Steve.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek thoughts – The Middleweight king Sergio Martinez looked sensational again. This guy just gets better and better…Have to hand it to Cotto he was the epitome of professional…On the undercard Miguel Vazquez retained his IBF crown, he may not be the most exciting of guys to watch but he gets the job done. He’d be a tough nights work for anyone with his style at 135…Over the weekend I finally got chance to watch Alvarez-Hatton. Canelo won easily enough but I just don’t see the star power in the ring that he undoubtably has outside it where he brings legions of fans everytime he fights. It’s going to be interesting to see how he’s matched in June & September the two dates that have been set aside for him. There are an awful lot of tough fights for him at 154 and he’ll have to grow into the title before he goes after some of the bigger names…Adrien Broner took a lot of stick and much of it was warranted, thankfully I only had to watch “highlights” of his fight with Ponce De Leon. I have a hunch that he’ll of learned a lot from that fight and will improve from here on. None of the 130 champions have the look of Superstars or Hall of Famers, I’d give Broner a good shot at any of them.

This is one of the more authentically enjoyable rides we’ve been on, isn’t it? Sergio Martinez, a man humble outside the ring as he is confident within, continues to bring pleasant surprises every time we see him. He has a naturalness to him most standout performers don’t.

Improperly packaged for most of his career and today barely promoted at all, Martinez has become the one phenomenal performer in our sport we wish to see often and are able to see often and free of additional charge. He puts a lot of people in prizefighting to shame – and what a richly deserved shame it is.

El Espectáculo de “Maravilla” kept on Saturday when Martinez went against a largely unknown but quietly heralded Ukrainian who might be named Serhiy Dzinziruk and who had made a menace of himself in Europe – as a tall, dispassionate southpaw with a jab and left cross – and dropped the previously undroppable Dzinziruk five times en route to a knockout victory at 1:43 of round 8. Martinez also retained sole consideration as the world’s middleweight champion.

The fight happened at MGM Grand in Connecticut’s Foxwoods Casino and was televised by HBO. An Argentina-born, Spain-polished Californian making a title defense against a Ukrainian resident of Germany, in Connecticut? Only a casino site fee and television contract could play backbone to that gelatinous mess.

Which almost adds to Martinez’s charm, actually. For once the innovation begins with a fighter, not his marketing. No silly press-conference antics. No vitriolic conference calls. No reheated, made-for-infomercial, hand-pad tricks. No ring entrance on a swing. No posse of buffoons wrestling Michael Buffer for the camera during introductions. Just a good-looking athlete wearing championship belts and bowing, curtain-call style, to those gathered in his name.

Followed by an artistry of motion rarely seen in boxing. No nervous feet. No Matrix-style avoidance of another’s fists. No intimidating faces at an overmatched opponent. No meaningless punches. No talking. Nothing but outstanding athleticism seasoned by its equal in confidence, presented by a man who fights whomever he is asked to fight.

It has been a long, long time, hasn’t it?

Dzinziruk was a good, undefeated fighter – another product of what was once the Soviet system that gave us champions like Vasily Jirov and the Brothers Klitschko. But that amateur perfection taught by trainers raised in the Soviet system was some of what plagued Dzinziruk, Saturday.

Across from “Maravilla” Martinez’s syrupy mobility, Dzinziruk’s thoughts were almost audible: Defend, step forward, hit by jab, hit by jab, block left cross, jab, step backwards, raise hands, step towards overhand left, throw counter right hook.

Emboldened by his co-hosts’ numerous favorable comparisons of Martinez’s style to his own, though, HBO analyst Roy Jones rose to the occasion, imagined how he might see Dzinziruk in a fight, and imparted some surprising wisdom. The best of which was his idea of Dzinziruk fighting behind Martinez; Dzinziruk, Jones explained, cannot determine what Martinez is going to do before Martinez does – for having never seen a creature like Martinez – and therefore must lead Martinez by jabbing first, if he is to have a chance.

Martinez was hittable. Martinez is hittable. He sometimes forgets an opponent has any volition of his own. Martinez mesmerizes an opponent then mesmerizes himself with his effect on that opponent.

Martinez jabbed Dzinziruk to the body. Martinez jabbed Dzinziruk to the body. Martinez jabbed Dzinziruk to the body. Martinez threw jab, cross – while changing the trajectory of his left fist to find Dzinziruk’s chin. And then Martinez took a step backwards and crouched and dropped his hands to his thighs and moved his head at short angles to study Dzinziruk while awaiting a foray he might counter before finding Dzinziruk was unable to blitz him and shifting his weight front to back to leap at Dzinziruk.

It was nothing like what a trainer would tell a kid to do in the gym. It was the creativity of a man who taught himself to box, late. It was the first successful interpretation of Roy Jones on a championship stage by any actor in the 21st century.

And it was evidence of what makes Martinez the first athlete-boxer we’ve seen who concerns himself with hitting an opponent more than not being hit by an opponent. That is, it took a dose of Latin machismo finally to give us an athlete of peerless reflexes whose priority is offensive and not some layered narrative like: I will humiliate you so you do not humiliate me.

Whatever it is that makes “Maravilla” what he is was present in round 8. After losing the better part of both the sixth and seventh, Martinez retreated with his hands low, blood coming out the side of his left eye, and moved his upper body till all was comfortably arranged.

Then he jumped forward. He hit Dzinziruk with a jab-cross combination. He did it again. Dzinziruk went down. The rest was details.

Your first instinct is to hope Martinez can make a super fight, to hope some larger canvas is available for his inspired brush. But that could be wrong.

Because life isn’t fair, Martinez will be the promotional b-side of any super fight he makes. He will be at a myriad of disadvantages from catch weights to venues to whatever else others’ handlers can think up. Better, then, that he do exactly what he is doing: fight three times a year on HBO till he’s cleaned out the middleweight division.

At 36 years-old, Martinez might not have many more chances to entertain us. But this ride will be a marvel while it lasts.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter: @bartbarry

As 2010 started Rocky Fuentes 28-6-2(18) was just another fighter in the Flyweight division. However he enjoyed a very successful year claiming the OPBF 112 title when he went to Japan and beat reigning champion Masafumi Okubo. He followed that up with 3 successful defences, all ending inside the distance, with two of them on the road in Japan. The 25 year old is a product of the very successful ALA Gym in The Philippines. He hope’s he is able to follow in predecessors footsteps and also win a world title. He is currently highly ranked WBC 3, WBA 6, IBF 7, WBO 6 & The Ring magazine 8.

Hello Rocky, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly what are you plans for 2011? When can we expect to see you in action next?

Rocky Fuentes – Hello Mr. Wainwright. I am scheduled to fight on March 19, 2011 against Indonesian Jemmy Gobel in ALA Promotions PINOY PRIDE 4: Philippines VS The World.

Anson Wainwright – You enjoyed a great 2010, going 5-0 with 4 stoppages winning the OPBF Flyweight title. What can you tell us about how you feel about your fights last year?

Rocky Fuentes – Me and my team met late 2009 to plan out our 2010 campaign and we set goals. We were looking into a regional championship and when we got a call from Japan for an OPBF Title challenge we took it. I really trained hard. I worked so hard because I wanted that belt badly.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us who are the members of your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at?

Rocky Fuentes – My coach is Joseph Baldago and My Manager is Sir ALA (Mr. Antonio Aldeguer) I am handled by ALA Promotions. I have been training at the ALA Gym since I started boxing.

Anson Wainwright – ALA has many very good fighters, who do you, spar with in the gym?

Rocky Fuentes – I spar regularly with WBO Minimumweight World Champion Donnie Nietes, Milan “El Metodico” Melindo, Marjohn Yap and a number of prospects headed by Albert Pagara.

Anson Wainwright – Many Filipino fighters have gone and fought in North America, so far you have fought exclusively in Asia. Would you like to fight in America? Is there something in the works regarding this?

Rocky Fuentes – It would really be great if I get to experience fighting in America but it really is up to my Promoter and Manager. I trust them with my career.

Anson Wainwright – You were born and raised in Cebu, can you tell us about your early years. Many fighters around the world have very hard childhood was this the case with you?

Rocky Fuentes – One of the reasons I went into boxing was to help my family. I also wanted to continue what my father did which was to box. He used to box before.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how you first became interested and then involved in Boxing?

Rocky Fuentes – I immediately fell in love with the sport since I first saw boxing at a mall that featured Z Gorres and Rodel Mayol. I was so impressed by them and I wanted to do what they were doing. I went straight to the ALA Gym to train.

Anson Wainwright – You had a tough start to your career going 13-5-2 in your first 20 fights. Can you tell us about the first part of your career and how you managed to turn things around and put yourself in the World title picture?

Rocky Fuentes – My career actually started well and I was winning and knocking out opponents but an unfortunate incident happened where a guy I knocked out passed away days after we fought due to the blows he absorbed. I was so bothered and…I don’t know Phobia I guess.

After the losses I realized that I was in a sport to hurt or get hurt. I gathered and re-focused and prayed to God for the best to come out of things. I have goals now and I intend to achieve them.

Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the Flyweight division and the current champions WBC Pongsaklek Wongjonkam WBA Luis Concepcion IBF Moruti Mthalane & WBO Julio Cesar Miranda?

Rocky Fuentes – They are a really really tough bunch but I will work hard to make it to the top and hopefully get a chance to test my skills and challenge these guys.

Anson Wainwright – Who so far is the toughest opponent you have fought so far in your career?

Rocky Fuentes – So far I think it was Shigetaka Ikehara of Japan for my first title defence. He was very tough and he was taking the best shots I gave and never backed down. He did not want to quit even if I was giving him a bad beating. Good thing his corner stopped the fight. He was a great fighter with a great heart.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?

Rocky Fuentes – I usually spent time with my family and friends hanging out in the mall or doing my duties for our church.

Anson Wainwright – Some Boxers also have day jobs do you currently do any other jobs or have you ever had a job away from Boxing?

Rocky Fuentes – As of now I just box but I am saving what I can to put up my own small business in the future.

Anson Wainwright – Your countryman Manny Pacquiao has really put your country on the map. What are your thoughts on what he has achieved?

Rocky Fuentes – He has inspired millions, including me to be the best I can be in whatever I do.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Flyweight division?

Rocky Fuentes – I hope the champions of my division will give me a chance to challenge them for their belts. That would really be fun.

Thanks for your time Rocky and keep up the good work.

Thank you Mr. Wainwright

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Miguel Cotto has always given us many reasons to like him. He provided another one Wednesday in the build-up for his super-welterweight fight Saturday night with noisemaker Ricardo Mayorga.

Cotto refused to indulge in the silly ritual of posing — nose-to-nose, eyeball-to-eyeball, and don’t-dare-blink – for the gallery of cameras at the mid-week news conference at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.

Take a bow, Miguel. Boxing needs a lot more of your class, poise and toughness.

There are various reports as to why Cotto said no to a tired piece of theater that would be amusing if it weren’t such a cliché. Mayorga is called crazy by anybody close to him, including his promoter, Don King, who knows something about crazy. Perhaps, Top Rank just told Cotto not to play a role in a scripted scene that could turn into a stupid brawl. Works for me.

But I also suspect that Cotto might be angry, rightfully so, at the homophobic insults that Mayorga always spews at any opponent days before opening bell. This time, Mayorga has joked about how he will beat Cotto into retirement and into a job working for Ricky Martin, the Puerto Rican singer who told Oprah that he’s gay.

“I have spoken to Ricky Martin’s camp and they say they have an opening for him,’’ Mayorga said in a conference call. Mayorga has repeated the insult in different words and an escalating tone, ad nauseam. Surprise, surprise. Trouble is, he did so again Wednesday with Cotto’s mother in the audience. Go ahead and insult Cotto, the quiet gentleman. But be careful of those insults when mom is around.

In declining to join the Mayorga circus, Cotto might have been making a stoic gesture, a signal that he intends to keep the fury bottled and brewing until opening bell. I’m not sure Cotto needs to. Mayorga has natural power, but doesn’t know how to deliver it. To wit: Mayorga has more manners than skill.

“If he has better skills than me, I haven’t seen them,’’ Cotto said in a comment that qualifies as a huge understatement. Before Mayorga’s mouth turned into an open sewer, the bout appeared to be a steppingstone for Cotto in his bid to avenge his stunning loss to Antonio Margarito in 2008.

What’s more, Mayorga-Cotto appeared to be part of a bigger story that includes promoter Bob Arum’s move to Showtime and CBS. There’s also Arum’s old-school partnership with King in an alliance that might finally lead to a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Maywather Jr. fight.

Then, however, Cotto put an unexpected twist into the plot. In saying no to the posed face-off, it was if he had decided he would not be the straight man for an opponent who talks, talks and talks until he sounds like a fool. Cotto’s cool, stubborn demeanor suggests he is a serious man who doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

The guess here is that he will gladly make a fool suffer Saturday night

Photo by Claudia Bocanegra

World rated Featherweight Billy “The Kid” Dib 30-1(18) hails from Sydney, though is of Lebanese decent. He enjoyed a successful amateur career, before injury prevented him representing Australia at the 2004 Olympics. It was at this point Dib traveled to Sheffield, England to train with his hero Nassem Hamed. Hamed liked what he saw and encouraged his young protégé to turn professional. Having quickly rattled off nineteen wins over the next four years he got his title shot when he went up against Steve Luevano. It was to be Dib’s only career loss to date, going down to a decision. Still only 25, Dib has rebounded well since going 9-0(7) with 1 No Contest. An impressive performance Saturday against Ricky Sismundo 18-5(7) could propel him back into the world scene. The young veteran believes he’s learnt from the Luevano loss, along with sparring in America and is nearing a second opportunity. Currently he’s ranked WBA 12 & IBF 4.

Hello Billy, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you will be fighting Ricky Sismundo this weekend. What are your thoughts on this fight and what are you looking for from this fight?

Billy Dib – This is going to be a match in which I will be able to showcase my skills and put in a good performance against a dangerous opponent for the people of Perth, especially since it is my first fight out West. I will be looking to stick to the game plan and am definitely aiming for a knockout.

Anson Wainwright – What are you plans for 2011? Are you targeting anyone in particular?

Billy Dib – 2011 is going to be the year where I finally break out and become the force in the Featherweight division that I am capable of being. Our main target for this year is Chris John and his WBA title but first I will have to put in an impressive performance against Ricky Sismundo. There are, however, some really good things coming in 2011 for us so I urge the fans to keep an eye out for me in what’s going to be a major year for Team BTK.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team? Who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly train at? Have you left Australia for sparring, if so who have you sparred with and how did it go?

Billy Dib – I have a great team behind me and am very thankful to have them. My manager is Michael K who also manages rising Australian star, Garth Wood. My trainer is the master coach Billy Hussein, who I truly believe is one of the best trainers in the world. I am a free agent at the moment but I’m working with great, young promoters such as Ty Colman as well as having a great relationship with Grange Old School Boxing. I train at my own gym in which is located in Lakemba. I travelled to the US to spar with some talented fighters in Jesse Magdaleno, Diego Magdaleno and Celestino Caballero. This was very beneficial as I had the chance to test my skills.

Anson Wainwright – You’ve won 9 straight since you fought for the WBO Featherweight title against Steve Luevano in 2008. How do you think you have improved since you had that fight with Luevano? What can you tell us about that fight? Was it just a bit soon for you etc?

Billy Dib – I definitely feel as though I have improved under the guidance of Billy Hussein as we have added dimensions to my skill-set which I did not focus on before this fight. The fight with Luevano obviously did not go according to plan and I lost to a better fighter only on that night. There are no excuses for the performance but I know in my heart that I will not pass up another opportunity such as that one again.

Anson Wainwright – The Featherweight division is talent packed with the likes of Juanma Lopez, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Chris John etc what are your thoughts on the division in general?

Billy Dib – It really is a division littered with a lot of great fighters. It is also a division in which I believe I can be among the elite once given my chance to prove my worth. I will be looking to prove that by working my way to the top already having a number 4 spot in the IBF. My team and I will be pushing for fights to put us in a place to be able to challenge and beat these champions.

Anson Wainwright – Your last 3 fights have taken place above the 126 Featherweight limit, are you looking for fights at 130?

Billy Dib – I am looking for fights anywhere between 126 and 130 as long as they are high calibre fights which will help to improve my standing in world boxing.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your amateur career and what happened to prevent you representing Australia in the 2004 Olympics? Also what titles did you win and what was your final record?

Billy Dib – I had a very enjoyable and distinguished amateur career in which I represented Australia all over the world. I was unable to represent Australia in the 2004 Olympics due to a motorbike accident which hampered my performance at the trials. I won numerous state, national and Golden Gloves titles, compiling a record of 113 fights for 98 wins.

Anson Wainwright – After not going to the Olympics you came to Britain and went to train with Nassem Hamed. what can you tell us about that experience?

Billy Dib – That was definitely an experience which changed my life. Training with my hero in boxing was something that felt simply like a dream. From there a bond was forged between me and Naz and we have become like brothers. Naz also encouraged me to turn professional after watching a few of my fight tapes, telling me that my style would be better suited to the professional ranks and I did just that.

Anson Wainwright – In 2006 you were given the chance to train with Mike Tyson, how did that come about and what was it like?

Billy Dib – Jeff Fenech decided to take me over to the US to meet and train with Mike Tyson as a 21st Birthday present. It was a great experience training alongside one of the greatest fighters of all time in Mike Tyson. While over there I met with the legendary Sugar Shane Mosley who took me under his wing. We shared many training camps together, shared the ring together in sparring many a time. He is a great mentor and friend of mine.

Anson Wainwright – When your not Boxing what do you like to do with your time? What are your hobbies & Interests?

Billy Dib – I like to spend time with my family and friends when I am away from boxing. I enjoy wakeboarding and shooting some hoops. I enjoy watching Rugby League, Basketball and Soccer, supporting St George Illawarra in Rugby League, LA Lakers in Basketball and Manchester United in Soccer.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Billy Dib – My fans can stay updated with the latest and greatest on my Twitter page, Facebook page and my website at billythekid.com.au. Thanks for all the wonderful support.

Thanks for your time Billy, keep up the good work.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

A promotional attempt at resurrecting the Phoenix boxing market will start at the roots of some of the city’s better days with Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal in the corner as the trainer for Canadian junior-middleweight Janks Trotter on a March 18 card featuring super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales in a homecoming against Dhafir Smith at Celebrity Theatre.

“It’s an opportunity,’’ said Carbajal, who wants to rebuild his life as a trainer after an estimated $2 million in assets were taken from him in a fraudulent scheme that led to a conviction and 54-month prison sentence for his brother, Danny. “It’s up to me, but this could lead to something.’’

Darin Schmick of Fanbase Promotions reached out to Carbajal not long after he decided to stage five cards in Phoenix after Gonzales fought and won two months ago in Calgary, Schmick’s hometown.

Schmick had long been acquainted with Phoenix, the city’s busy gym scene and its rich boxing history, which is featured by Carbajal’s unique and turbulent story.

“Mention Phoenix and you think of Michael,’’ said Schmick, who has matched Trotter 4-0, 4 KOs) against Arturo Crespin (6-1, 2 KOs) of New Mexico. “I know things have been tough for him lately. But we also know he can help Trent and we feel like we can help him at the same time.’’

Schmick’s promotional schedule includes a news conference and official weigh-in next week at the Ninth Street Gym, an old church where Carbajal trained for an unprecedented career as 108-pounder and the first in the lightest weight classes to fight for a $1 million purse.

The Carbajal angle is just one part of Phoenix theme. Gonzales, a leading prospect in 2003, returns after controversy and a loss, his only defeat in 26 fights, to Jose Luis Zertuche in 2005. After the loss – an eighth-round stoppage, Top Rank dropped him.

“At 26, he is still a young man with a 25-1 record,’’ Schmick said of Gonzales, who won a second-round stoppage over Jason Naugler in Calgary on Nov. 12. “He’s also a terrific story.’’

In the 28-year-old Smith (24-19-7, 4 KOs), Gonzales faces an experienced fighter whose record includes a unanimous decision over former Jeff Lacy on Dec. 11 and a 2007 loss by sixth-round stoppage to current super-middleweight champ Andre Ward.

Like many boxers Miguel “Titere” Vazquez 27-3(12) had a tough upbringing, brought up in Guadalajara, Mexico, he turned to Boxing because his father had previously been a prize-fighter. After a tough start to his career in which he lost three times, before he met up with Javier Capetillo (Former Antonio Margarito trainer) who revitalized and transformed him. He quickly made a splash becoming the first man to beat Breidis Prescott, who has previously Knocked out Amir Khan is less than a minute, when he got off the canvas himself to post a split decision victory. That put him in line to fight for the vacant IBF Lightweight title against teak tough Ji Hoon Kim. Once again Vazquez used his sublime skills to outpoint the hard charging Korean. Since that win last August Vazquez 24, has defended his crown late last year when he outscored Ricardo Dominguez. Next up he faces rugged Australian mandatory challenger Lenny Zappavigna in chief support to Cotto-Mayorga on 12 March in Las Vegas. It pits the classic boxer verses the marauding power puncher and will allow the victor to really make a name for himself.

Hello Miguel, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Last year you won the IBF Lightweight title against Ji Hoon Kim and then defended the title against Ricardo Dominguez what can you tell us about those two fight and how happy were you with your performances?

Miguel Vazquez – I’m super happy. At this point of my career better things are coming. Next week there’s another opportunity to show the world the kind of fighter I am.

Anson Wainwright – How did you celebrate winning the title? Has it changed your life at all?

Miguel Vazquez – I celebrated with my family in Mexico. Now it’s just me who has to work hard. Because I have to make my dreams a reality, there’s only one way, just working hard. I’m still the same humble person. It’s changing a little, a lot of people know me and while I’m the champion the purses are changing the financial aspect. I know I have to work hard to be where I want to be.

Anson Wainwright – You will fight on the Cotto-Mayorga card on March 12 in Las Vegas against your mandatory challenger Lenny Zappavigna. What are your thoughts on fighting on such a big card & what do you know and think of Zappavigna?

Miguel Vazquez – It’s a great opportunity for me, lots of exposure, people who haven’t seen me will see me. I’m going to show the people Miguel Vazquez is one of the brightest stars in Boxing coming up. I know a bit about him. He’s a strong fighter, he’s the challenger, undefeated, he comes forward, he comes to win, he comes to fight, he’s very determined. But it’s going to be a good fight. It’s going to be power and will verses skill.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team. Who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you use?

Miguel Vazquez – My manager/trainer is Javier Capetillo. Ricky Mota who manages Giovani (Segura) also helps me, he advises me, and helps with what I need. My Promoter is Zanfer and I train at Azteca Boxing Club in Bell, California.

Anson Wainwright – You were born in Guadalajara, Mexico can you tell us about your younger year?

Miguel Vazquez – It was very hard. I was thrown to the wolves at a young age when I turned pro. If you look at my record you can see I wasn’t managed right. Things happen for a reason, it’s helped me become a stronger and better fighter.

Anson Wainwright -You’ve lost three times twice to “Canelo” Alvarez & once to Tim Bradley. What can you tell us about these fights? How good do you think those guys are?

Miguel Vazquez – I can’t say anything bad about them; there both good fighters in there respective weight classes. I fought them in there respective weigh classes in a way I shouldn’t of, that counts for a lot.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first get into Boxing? Who was your inspiration?

Miguel Vazquez – My dad started me off. He was a former professional fighter too. He still co-trains me; he still plays a role in the camp, though Capetillo is the head trainer. I looked up to of course the legend Julio Cesar Chavez Snr and I really like Floyd Mayweather.

Anson Wainwright – What does you nickname Titere mean?

Miguel Vazquez – Titere is like puppet, I move but you can’t hit me. I got it when I was an amateur.

Anson Wainwright – Those fights like many of your fights took place up at Light Welterweight & even Welterweight. Can you tell us what that made you realize you would be better served getting down to Lightweight?

Miguel Vazquez – Once I came to the U.S with my new team. Capetillo showed me how to work hard and I knew that wasn’t my weight class and I came down to Lightweight.

Anson Wainwright – You beat Breidis Prescott who had previously stopped Amir Khan in one round, you were also down in the first round, what can you tell us about that fight and how you managed to get back in the fight after such a difficult start?

Miguel Vazquez – He was a very good fighter, he hit tremendously hard. That was kind of the fight that opened the doors.

Anson Wainwright – What do you enjoy doing with your time when your not boxing or training?

Miguel Vazquez – I like to spend time with my family.

Anson Wainwright – What do you hope to achieve now that you have become a World champion?

Miguel Vazquez – Fight the best fighters in my weight class. Be one of the best Pound for Pound fighters in the world and defend my title against the best and move to another weight class.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think of the other champions like Juan Manuel Marquez, Humberto Soto & Brandon Rios?

Miguel Vazquez – He’s (Marquez) the best Lightweight he’s proved it. I would like to fight him down the line. He has a lot of experience.

I think Zorrita is a good fighter. I think his best days are behind him and he’s in decline.

I think Rios is a strong fighter. But I see a lot of things I can do (with him) still. I would love to fight him down the line.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Boxing fans of the World?

Miguel Vazquez – Vazquez is the best Lightweight in the world. Stay tuned for next week with another performance by Miguel Vazquez.

Best Wishes

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek Thoughts – I got chance to speak to Brandon Rios and congratulate him on his title win the other week. He told me “I feel great. My hands fine, it was swollen after the fight” He added “I want to get back in the gym and fight soon. When I asked him about the possibility of fighting Marco Antonio Barrera he continued “It would be an honour”. It’s going to be a fun ride, I’m looking forward to seeing Rios all action style, it’s great news his hand isn’t as bad as first thought…I hear James Kirkland who won on his return Saturday will fight on the 25th March in Fairfield, Ca then again all being well on 9 April on the Maidana-Morlaes card in Las Vegas…Last week Puerto Rico Best Boxing headed up by Ivan Rivera who manage/co-promote most of the big name fighters in there homeland including JuanMa Lopez, Ivan Calderon etc announced they had signed amateur star Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez. I’m told that he debuts on April 1, in a TV Series named “A Puno Limpio” that they are starting Chanel 4 (WAPA TV and WAPA America). He will fight at a maximum 114 pounds no opponent has been annouced yet. It’s obviously very early, but Gonzalez could be the guy to replace Calderon…Just weeks before Michael Katsidis gallantly fought Juan Manuel Marquez his brother Stathi passed away. Over the past week it has been announced that on 31 March at a statue to comemerate him will but unveiled. For more details – http://toowoomba.finda.com.au/features/2011/03/03/stathi-katsidis-jockey-statue-clifford-park/…

Marco Antonio Barrera has warned us about cases like Mexican Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. No, not by name – the way Juan Manuel Marquez just did – or by specific timeframe, either. Barrera’s warnings come only by implication: boxing was off Mexico’s public airwaves for most of the last decade, and that will have consequences.

Boxing is back on Mexico’s airwaves, and the pueblo’s appetite for our sport is voracious. Mexicans see more boxing these days than Americans do; all those European cards and American undercards you need a pirated link to see are broadcast on basic cable, there. To invert Sir John Falstaff’s advice, though, Mexicans are about to start calling some counterfeits true pieces of gold.

Is “Cinnamon” Alvarez a counterfeit? We don’t know yet, and at this rate we won’t know for a long time. We got only a little closer to the truth of this horse-mounting Jalisciense with red hair and freckles, Saturday, when he battered Matthew Hatton, a determined b-grade Brit with a famous brother, and won a unanimous decision by three scores of 119-108, on HBO.

Alvarez is not exactly what Barrera warned us about, but he may be in the vanguard of the movement. When most Mexicans without satellite dishes stopped seeing boxing with any sort of regularity, Alvarez was nine years old. In Mexico, as in every other place on Earth, the children of homeowners with satellite dishes do not populate boxing’s amateur ranks. How many young Mexicans of inauspicious beginnings did not take up the sport – for want of exposure – in the 11 years Alvarez was building himself from an ethnic anomaly to a ticket-selling attraction?

How much better, in other words, were the Mexican 15-year-olds against whom Barrera and Marquez learned their craft in the 1980s?

It’s a good question. Here is a better one. What did a decade away from routine examination of fighters do to Mexico’s national afición?

There is a reasonable assumption in Mexico that the best of their countrymen are the best prizefighters in the world. To come out of Mexico in the past, a prizefighter had to survive so many tests that his mettle could not be doubted. But for the next five to 10 years, the default assumption that steels Mexicans’ support of their fighters may well be disconnected from the reality of what tests their young fighters now pass.

Take that possibility and add to it Mexicans’ spring-loaded appetite for boxing, and you get a phenomenon like Canelomania, one that puts more than 10,000 fans in an arena to see a showcase bout.

But is Alvarez’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions really doing anything differently from what rival Top Rank did with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.?

Yes, actually. Chavez Jr. was going to be a draw whether or not he could fight even a little bit. A Mexican form of self-deception was not needed to sell Chavez Jr.; the kid’s father was the only thing that went right in Mexico in the 1990s, and Mexicans are a proud, loyal people.

Alvarez is a supposedly organic discovery, on the other hand, from a place – Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco – most Mexicans couldn’t pronounce any more easily than they could find it on a map. Alvarez is marketed as a true piece of gold; Oscar De La Hoya says he’s never seen a 20 year-old so very developed – and that means a lot to fight fans in Mexico who still think of De La Hoya as a fighter, not a promoter.

But was Alvarez the most-developed 20 year-old you’ve ever seen, Saturday? Of course not. He realized in the first five minutes that not one Hatton punch, lucky or otherwise, could hurt him. Then he spent the next half hour stalking Hatton, with his hands and chin lowered. He wacked away at Ricky’s brother with impunity and beat him pretty good. He never dropped him, though, and Hatton was still on his toes bouncing when the 12th round began.

Alvarez has no defense to speak of. He has strong legs, but he does not bob. His footwork is simple; it’s not wrong, by any means, but neither is it complicated. His hands stray low every time he loads a punch. His head stays between opponents’ shoulders.

None of this would be a problem, one supposes, if he had break-you-in-half power. He does not. His left hooks are wide and sometimes sloppy. His uppercuts are thrown well and authoritatively, but does he have hand-speed enough to land them against elite fighters?

If they were to fight next week, James Kirkland would tear Alvarez apart. Alfredo Angulo would wear him down. Paul Williams would outland him 30 to 1. Miguel Cotto would likely finish the job his brother started 10 months ago. And Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. would outbox him. No, that’s not a typo.

¡Cálmate, cabrón! Alvarez is only 20 years-old. How can you compare his chances to such beasts as those listed above?

Fair point. Alvarez needs more seasoning, some time in the minors to hone his skills. Who could argue?

Which raises one last question. Since when is HBO our sport’s minor-league affiliate?

Sometime in the last three years – that’s the answer, if you’re scoring at home. Saturday’s telecast was fine an example as any of what HBO has become: an Oscar De La Hoya-search company that populates its undercards with Al Haymon-managed trial balloons. That’s why it is now our sport’s number two network.

Alas, that’s someone else’s problem. But Alvarez and Chavez Jr. are our problem, as aficionados, because they represent Mexican prizefighting in the near term. Until they fight one another, we shouldn’t take either too seriously. Americans already know this. Mexican fans might need a reminder:

Hasta que pelean Canelo y Junior, hay que cuidar nuestro apoyo completo.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter: @bartbarry

If there is ever another remake of The Sunshine Boys, Bob Arum and Don King can play themselves. They are classics, as cantankerous as Walter Matthau and as charming as George Burns.

After a 30-year promotional war followed by an undeclared armistice lasting five years, Arum and King are friends. They argue that they always have been.

“Of course,’’ Arum said Thursday in a conference call.

King did what he often does. He interrupted. Yet, he also agreed with his old rival, calling him a freedom fighter and almost nominating him for a Medal of Honor. For emphasis, King screamed in mock disbelief at a question that suggested there was a time when things between them were less than friendly.

“What are you talking about? … What in the hell you talking about?’’ King bellowed, which is a redundancy for anybody who has listened to him for decades.

Arum was once so exasperated at the redundant bellowing that he ordered a member of his Top Rank staff to unplug King’s microphone midway through “Veeeeeva” and “Puertoooo Reee-coooo” after Puerto Rican Felix Trinidad beat the Arum-promoted Oscar De La Hoya at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay in 1999.

That might have been the only time that Arum subtracted an octave or two from King’s delivery, although King probably didn’t notice. On a noise-meter showdown between a state-of the-art megaphone and King, bet your ear plugs on King every time.

Arum and King, both 79 and going on 80, are co-promoters of the Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Mayorga fight in a March 12 bout that is part of a bigger story involving the renewed partnership of old rivals, an old feud with De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and new television deal with CBS and subsidiary Showtime.

Unmistakable nostalgia is attached to Arum and King, who represent a different time and a better era for boxing. They are re-introducing themselves to a new generation that knows them as if they were The Rat Pack, pre-Tweet and Before-Facebook. The good old days always look better in the rear-view mirror, probably because the tough times are so easy to forget. Arum and King needed each other to make their fame and fortune. They are forever linked, like Ali and Frazier.

Now, King and Arum are together, like a couple of aging veterans who battled each other from opposite sides of a bitter front in a long-ago war. They survived and now they are comrades. The rivalry defined them, gave them a reason to get up and resume the battle. But there was antagonism. There had to be. Without it, there can be no rivalry.

Both King and Arum mentioned it repeatedly Thursday, as if they missed it.

“Don made me a better promoter,’’ said Arum, who whose off-and-on partnership started with the second Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier rematch 1975, an Ali victory in Manila

Acrimony?

Sure, King said.

If a fight needed some, King said “we gave it a little taste.’’

More of it, in fact, than anything that has fueled Arum’s cold war with De La Hoya, who has replaced King as Arum’s rival and reason to get up for another day of battle. Despite all of the insults Arum throws at De La Hoya, there’s still nothing that rivals the Marvin Hagler-Sugar Ray Leonard fight. That’s when Arum tried to have King thrown out of the ring before Leonard’s victory. They laughed about it Thursday. But nobody was laughing in 1987.

I suspect a lot of the trouble between De La Hoya and Arum is rooted in the inevitable clash between generations. It’s as old as sons rebelling against dads. In turning De La Hoya into the most marketable fighter of his generation, Arum taught him tricks of the trade. De La Hoya and his chief executive, Richard Schaefer, are using them in a bid to turn Saul “Canelo’’ Alvarez into star, a process that continues Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim where a bigger, stronger Alvarez fights Matthew Hatton.

Arum and King dismissed – mocked — De La Hoya Thursday.

“Is he a promoter?’’ Arum said when asked about De La Hoya.

Said King: “I didn’t know who you were talking about.’’

The attack on De La Hoya is more than just generational. It’s business. Arum says he can put together the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight if King goes to work for Mayweather. He blames the twice-failed negotiations for a fight last year on Mayweather’s Golden Boy representation, although he also has blamed other factors, including Mayweather’s apparent fear of risking his unbeaten record.

King kept open the possibility Thursday that he might represent Mayweather if and when there’s another round of talks for a Pacquiao showdown. Speaking from his home Palm Beach, Fla., King said that Mayweather also was in south Florida. Mayweather has a home in Miami.

“Just so happens Mayweather is here now,’’ King said. “I don’t know if anything is going to happen.’’

For now, an Arum-King remake is a happening, big enough for an old school rivalry and maybe big enough for a fight that could rival one from any era.

Australia has a rich recent tradition in the Super Featherweight & Lightweight divisions where both Robbie Pedan & Michael Katsidis won world titles respectively & and Lenny Zappavigna will challenge for one on 12 March. Next on the production line could well be “Showtime” Paul Fleming 8-0(5). The 22 year old represented his country in the 2008 Olympics having had a stellar amateur career before opting to turn professional. He hopes to fight in America in 2011 where he’s well aligned with manager Cameron Dunkin & promoter by Top Rank. Here’s what Fleming had to say about his life, his passion for tattoos and the recent flooding in his home state of Queensland.

Hello Paul, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – What is your schedule for 2011? When are you next likely to fight?

Paul Fleming – I’m fighting in Perth on the 12th of March on a very good card against a Filipino. I’m very eager to get back inside the ropes and put on a good performance.

Anson Wainwright – You’re on record as saying you want to fight in America in 2011. Can you tell us how plans are coming along on this front & why you’d like to fight in America?

Paul Fleming – Yeah, things are coming along great. Looking to fight in late April hopefully on a big card. I want to fight in the USA because that’s where the best fighters are, that’s the measuring stick. Who in the world doesn’t want to fight at a Caesar’s Palace, Mandalay Bay, or an MGM Grand?!

Anson Wainwright – Could you describe your style of fighting?

Paul Fleming – I’m a flashy southpaw with fast hands and a bit of pop. I can fight on the inside if required, but have a good eye thanks to my Aboriginal genes. I’m a well-rounded fighter.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about team Fleming, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly train at?

Paul Fleming – I have two managers. Cameron Dunkin in Las Vegas, who of course is very well known and respected in the boxing world, and Australian manager Mike Altamura. He is a younger guy but has some good up and coming boxers and if everything goes according to plan, we will put him on the map. My trainer is Billy Hussein. I moved states just to train with him. He’s a very well-known in Australia and around the world and it is such an honour to train with him. It honestly feels like we’ve been together for years. I’m learning so much from him.

My promoter is Top Rank. Not much has to be said if you’re in the boxing world about them. They are the biggest and most successful promoters in boxing, they’ve started and promoted everyone… Ali, De La Hoya, Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, to name a few, and it’s a privilege to be signed to them.

Anson Wainwright – What was it like growing up in Tully when you were young? And how did you first become interested in and take up Boxing?

Paul Fleming – Tully is such a small town, everyone knows everyone. I was a lonely kid, I grew up in the bush on the farms riding motorbikes, climbing trees, bushwalking. It’s an amazing place, and when my boxing career is finished, I want to move back there again and live a quiet life, grow vegetables, very simple you know!

I was always into fighting, karate, boxing, etc. All that I used to watch was Karate Kid, Ninja Turtles, and my dad used to teach me how to punch. He would get on his knees and spar with me when I was around four. I’ve always seemed to have a set of boxing gloves and it was either football or boxing, and when I remained small, I decided to take boxing seriously.

Anson Wainwright – You had a good amateur career and fought for Australia in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where you lost to the eventual Silver medalist. What can you tell us about your experience of the Olympics? Also what other tournaments did you win? What was your final record?

Paul Fleming – My final amateur record was 83-17. The best I fought was Khedafi Djelkhir at the Olympics, he won the Silver medal. It was a close fight. I lost by four points. I won the National titles quite a few times (Both Junior and Senior), Oceania, the Chemistry Cup, and also won a bronze at the 2006 World Juniors.

Anson Wainwright – What top amateurs did you fight and how did you get on? Also what current pros have you trained with? Any sparring or training with Michael Katsidis or Lenny Zappavigna?

Paul Fleming – I Fought a lot of the top amateurs in the world. Djelkhir as mentioned, Stephen Smith, Idel Torriente, Joel Brunker, Luke Jackson, and many others.

I currently train with Billy Dib, a top contender in the featherweight division. I haven’t sparred with Michael or Lenny yet, but have sparred with Vic Darchinyan and Chris John.

Anson Wainwright – Your home state of Queensland was recently hit very badly by both flooding and later a cyclone. What impact has it had on your friends and family?

Paul Fleming – Tully was the worst place hit by the cyclones, and sadly a lot of our friend’s houses were destroyed. Thankfully my family house was okay, and my mum and sister were okay, and that’s the most important thing. The flooding hit further down south so I don’t know anyone affected by it, but I really feel for those that were.

Anson Wainwright – You’re obviously a big fan of tattoos and have covered your body in them. Many times when people have tattoos there is a reason behind certain ones. What can you tell us about that?

Paul Fleming – It’s a passion of mine. I guess it’s like a hobby for both me and my girlfriend, and some of our closest friends. Everything on my body has a meaning to me, mostly family and also to resemble times and thing I’ve endured throughout my life. I have plans for many more but just have to find the time and money!

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about yourself as a person away from Boxing, what do you enjoy doing with your spare time? Do you have a hobbies or Interests of note? Do you follow other sports, if so what ones and what teams do you support?

Paul Fleming – I’m a simple person. Give me a TV and some movies, and I’ll be right for days. I’m lazy when not training. I love just hanging out with my close friends and going to dinner. My hobby is tattoos. I love going to tattoo shows and helping mates design their tattoos. Strange, I know, but it’s what I love. Also love chilling with my girlfriend. We have the same kinda mindset and she is one of my best friends.

Anson Wainwright – What fighters did you look up to when you grew up & who do you like to see fight today?

Paul Fleming – Huge fan of Sweet Pea, Pernell Whitaker, Manny Pacquiao. Love smart, fast-moving southpaws. Love Sugar Ray Robinson. I try to take the good things out of every boxer. There is so much to learn from just watching fight footage of the best. My problem is that I don’t probably watch enough as I love my movies too much (Laughs).

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Paul Fleming – Firstly, thanks for the interview Anson. As for my fans, I just want them to stay tuned as this year is going to be really exciting. I’ll put on a show every time I get in the ring, and I’m planning to show every aspect of boxing. I’ll fight, box, move, do everything that my ring name suggests I’ll do. I’ll live up to the “Showtime” Paul Fleming name. Also, check out my website: http://www.paulfleming.net.au

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Thursday Thoughts – I spoke to Nonito Donaire on Monday night, he told me he’s heading back to The Philippines at the end of the week for around 3 weeks. He’s said Brandon Rios winning felt like him winning all over again and that he’s pleased for the whole team. He hopes to fight 2 more times this year and wants to be undisputed champion before moving up in weight. He views the Agbeko-Mares fight as 50-50…Yesterday David Haye told Sky Sports that negotiations with Wladimir Klitschko are once again taking place. He went on to add that he is quietly confident that the fight will happen later this year & that he believed that it was 90% done. Can’t help but think we’ve heard this before, we all continue to hope…Tony Sims Darren Barker’s manager/trainer confirmed to me that Barker will face Domenico Spada at Earls Court, Olympia, London on 30 April.

Although he made his professional debut last August, Shemuel Pagan will get to deposit his first prizefighting paycheck later this month.

The five-time NY Golden Gloves winner donated his entire first purse to the the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation, the non-profit charitable organization legendary trainer Teddy Atlas created in his father’s name.

“The reason why I am donating it is because I follow the Old Testament — I’m a religious person,” Pagan said at the time. “When God blesses you with anything, he commands that you give the first fruits to him. So when you give to the poor and needy, you are giving to God…I want to help God’s people.”

Now, almost six months later, after he dukes it out with Camden’s Marcos Garcia for a maximum of four rounds, Pagan will step back through the ropes and earn

After multiple fights had fallen through in which he would have fought in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York, Pagan will return to Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center as part of the Zab Judah-Kaizer Mabuza undercard this Saturday.

There was a brief moment last month where it looked like it was going to be deja vu ‘all over again’ for Pagan, as another scheduled opponent pulled out.

“They had me fighting against a fighter [Lonnie Jackson, Jr.] I lost to in the amateurs a few years back,” explained Pagan. “I actually lost to him by one point. I was looking forward to fighting him, but he pulled out.”

Luckily, matchmaker Russell Peltz was left with enough to find a replacement opponent, and scheduled Garcia to step in the ring with Pagan on March 5th.

While Garcia’s record reads 0-3, make no mistake — it’s a hard-fought 0-3. The 30 year-old from South Jersey has lost each of his fights via majority decision.

Although he would have preferred to avenge his amateur lost to Jackson, after almost half a year without fighting, Pagan’s ready to do battle with whoever stands before him.

The always smiling, always optimistic Pagan chooses to view the long layoff between fights in a positive light.

“It [the layoff] hasn’t effected me,” Pagan said. “I think it actually helped. It gave my body enough to time recuperate and replenish so I can go back in the ring with fury.”

Back in August, in his debut, Pagan also fought with fury when he easily navigated past Raul Rivera, earning him a clear-cut unanimous decision victory. Pagan floored Rivera twice during their twelve minute dual, but “Shem” was unable to stop his counterpart.

“The only weakness I had that night was that I didn’t knock him out,” Pagan said, reflecting on his debut. “That’s the only thing I wanted to do, but you can’t knockout everybody.”

Although he displayed an impressive arsenal of weapons, used superior foot-speed to create angles, and showcased his signature hand-speed, Pagan was a bit unsettled, and felt that he was trying too hard to get the knockout.

“My weakness was trying to go for the kill,” said Pagan. “I should have been a little more relaxed. I know to everyone else I looked relax, but deep down inside — personally — I wasn’t relaxed.”

During the months between bouts, “The Chosen One” has chosen to address that very issue while at the gym.

“[Relaxing] is a mental thing that starts with training in the gym,” said Pagan. “Usually when I’m training, I’m training with excitement and psyching myself up and training hard. I just go hard every round when I’m working out. I have to learn mental cruise-control when I’m working out, so when I’m fighting [in the ring] I can do the same.”

While Pagan is trying to take a more melodic approach to his craft, one thing he should stay psyched up about his earning his first paycheck via the fight game. After nine years-plus of honing his craft for no financial reward, the charitable Pagan will finally enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Kyle Kinder can be reached at Twitter.com/KyleKinder or KyleKinder1@gmail.com

It’s never dull when Ricardo Mayorga’s about that’s for sure. For the past decade the Wildman from Nicaragua has enthralled us with all action style and bad guy ways. Now 37, Mayorga 29-7-1(23) may not be a young fighter but he still feels he has a role to play. He firmly believes he’ll KO Miguel Cotto on 12 March in Las Vegas and then get a shot a Manny Pacquiao in what he thinks will be his career defining moment. Mayorga first sprang to prominence beating Andrew Lewis for the WBA Welterweight title, he then stunned Vernon Forrest KO3 to add the WBC title to his collection. He then won a rematch before losing a majority decision for all the marbles against Cory Spinks. He became a two weight world champion when he claimed the WBC laurels beating Michele Piccarillo in 2005. Never one to turn down a challenge Mayorga has fought many of the top fighters of his generation including Felix Trinidad LKO8, Oscar De La Hoya LKO6, Fernando Vargas PTS12 & Shane Mosley LKO12.

Hello Ricardo, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You have a big fight coming up against Miguel Cotto on 12 March in Las Vegas. What do you think of that fight and Cotto as a fighter?

Ricardo Mayorga – I think that he a punched out old fighter and I’m going to knock him out quickly.

Anson Wainwright – In your last fight your stopped Michael Walker in nine rounds. Can you tell us how you felt after so long out of the ring?

Ricardo Mayorga – I was very strong, I wasn’t in the best shape but I was in good shape and now I’m even better.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us why you had so long out of the ring? You didn’t fight in over 2 years, what happened?

Ricardo Mayorga – I had an automobile accident and I was out for 2 years. I was operated on, I had a minor operation on my back.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team for this fight, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you train at in America?

Ricardo Mayorga – My Promoter is Don King, my trainer is Luis Leon and Al Bonami is co-training me. I don’t have a manager, I do that myself. Where training for this fight in Ocala, Fl. at Danny Santiago’s gym called Central Florida Boxing. Danny is still fighting but was a ranked Light Heavyweight & Cruiserweight.

Anson Wainwright – You always seem to make weight with ease, why is this and what is your walk around weight between fights?

Ricardo Mayorga – I’m about 161/162 right now. I never really have trouble with my weight, that’s why I’m always underweight. I’m going to come in 152 when I fight Cotto and I’m going to be eating Puerto Rican beans!

Anson Wainwright – You love to play the villain and regularly try to get under your opponents skin. Is this who you are, can you tell us about your nicer side?

Ricardo Mayorga – I always like to a bad guy like in the movies.

Al Bonanni – I started with him when he came to the United States and we were together until he won the title and then I left because he’s a lot to handle and then I worked with him for Trinidad and left again. As far as a person, I love him, I really like him, he’s a wonderful person. We get along very good, we have no problems. He calls me Papi Gordo which is Far Man! Ha-ha He’s a very nice person to me. I have no problems with him. He has a wonderful personality. I don’t believe the energy he has.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your younger days growing up in Managua did you have a tough time growing up?

Ricardo Mayorga – It was really tough, we were very poor. I always used to fight in the streets and in school. I was always in a fight.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do when your not Boxing, what are your hobbies and Interests?

Ricardo Mayorga – Playing Billiards and I like to play cards like poker with family.

Anson Wainwright – What is the proudest moment of your career so far?

Ricardo Mayorga – It still hasn’t come to it, the greatest will be when I beat Pacquiao.

Anson Wainwright – You have fought many of the best fighters of your generation including De Le Hoya, Forrest, Mosley, Vargas, Spinks & Trinidad. Who do you consider the best ?

Ricardo Mayorga – For me De La Hoya.

Anson Wainwright – What would you like to do when your retire from Boxing?

Ricardo Mayorga – I want to put the money I earned in the bank and live on a ranch in Nicaragua.

Anson Wainwright – Are there any up an coming fighters you would like to mention from Nicaragua?

Ricardo Mayorga – Right now there isn’t anyone.

Anson Wainwright – Much has been said about you on wiki-leaks with regards an incident between you and a young lady & your relationship with President Ortega. Could you give us your thoughts?

Ricardo Mayorga – I don’t have any comment on that. I have the president’s respect and he has mine. All that on the Internet is just baloney. The only thing I can say is the president is a just man and he’s a good man and we have a good relationship.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Ricardo Mayorga – Buy the PPV it’s going to be a great fight and I’m going to knock him out in 4 rounds.

Thank you for your Time Ricardo & Al.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Special thanks Al Bonanni

Relentless Preview – As well as the Cotto-Mayorga main event the Showtime PPV will have several other bouts. Miguel Vazquez 27-3(12) will be defending his IBF Lightweight title for the second time against unbeaten mandatory challenger Lenny Zappavigna 25-0(17). It pits the classic boxer (Vazquez) against the fighter (Zappavigna). We’ll also see the return of both Joshua Clottey 35-4(20) & Yuri Foreman 28-1(8) in seperate Light Middleweight bouts. Clottey hasn’t been seen since his tentative performance against Manny Pacquiao a year ago will be up against Calvin Green 21-5-1(13). While Foreman was last seen 9 months ago when he injured his knee and lost his title to Cotto meets Pawel Wolak 28-1(18). Amateur standout Matt Korobov 13-0(8) see’s action for the first time in 2011 when he meets Michael Walker 19-6-2(12) over 8 rounds. Also scheduled for action Lightweight Juan Gonzalez 10-0(9), Heavyweights Eric Molina 16-1(12) & Tommy Zbikowski 1-0(1), Featherweight Jesus Rojas 16-1(12) & the return of the ever popular Christy Martin 49-5-3(31).

SAN ANTONIO – So you think you love boxing, eh, just can’t get enough of all that action and drama leavened by brutality? Yeah, well you might not love boxing much as you think. But fear not. There is a test available to certify you one way or another: A Regional Golden Gloves tournament in the city of your choosing.

I thought I loved boxing when I awoke Tuesday morning. And I confirmed I love boxing round midnight Saturday. But in between those two days stretched 22 hours, 123 amateur bouts, a fire marshal delay, fair judging, relentless sportsmanship, hopefuls’ victories and losses, the discovery of a few remarkable boxers and a new truth or two, and lots of fatigue. And some doubts about my own fidelity to our beloved sport.

The last 14 months of covering prizefighting, while not quite hopeless, have been much less than their predecessors were. Had boxing been like this when I began to write about it, I would have stopped writing about it. I’m sure I am not the only writer who’s experienced this feeling lately – though perhaps the only one to admit it publicly.

If I was not initially reluctant to cover South Texas’ 2011 Regional Golden Gloves Tournament for a combat-sports magazine, I was decidedly reluctant by the second hour of Tuesday’s opening night. Woodlawn Gym – another City of San Antonio gem on the edge of a picturesque lake – was brimming with emotional Texans. And emotional people breathe lots and sweat plenty too. The gym was suffocating. I noticed this an hour before the fire marshal did. And that began a novel delay as tournament director Skip Wilson pleaded with boxers and trainers to leave the gym and wait on the patio.

There were more than 800 people in a small gym on a Tuesday night to see friends and familiars try their sub-novice hands at our brutal sport. Imagine that. Like you, I’ve been to too many professional shows, sold to the public by well-compensated promoters, that couldn’t imagine a standing-room-only crowd.

At the end of last week’s column, I picked San Antonio Parks & Rec’s Ben Mendoza to surprise some folks in the 201-pound weight of the Sub-novice division. But after Tuesday’s fire-marshal delay, Mendoza’s bout got bumped.

The next morning, good and early, a quixotic Google search for a revised schedule brought me, accompanied by great surprise, to SAGoldenGloves.com, where a current and revised Wednesday bout sheet was already posted. At Bradley-Alexander in Silverdome last month, bout sheets were scarcer than paying fans. And yet here was an amateur tournament providing anyone with a little interest a full listing of the night’s program – eight hours before it began.

Did I mention Skip Wilson puts on a well-organized tourney?

Wednesday night Ben Mendoza, a local school teacher who trains at San Fernando Gymnasium most weeknights, completed his journey from fitness hobbyist to fighter. Seven months of conditioning in a boxing gym had done very little to indicate this would happen, honestly. Mendoza was taller, more serious and better-spoken than most of the students who attended trainer Adrian Rodriguez’s classes, sure, but he also had nervous feet and a natural reluctance to throw a left cross from his southpaw stance in sparring. And it didn’t much matter how many times Rodriguez yelled, “Ben, where’s the 2?”

Then something changed. A week before the Golden Gloves, Mendoza went hard rounds with other aspirants and won them. He started talking like a fighter and acquired a certain swagger. And he realized a straight punch thrown across the body of a 201-pound man is nothing to trifle with.

That realization came with an exclamation point Thursday night when, after winning his first bout Wednesday and finding a feature about himself in the next day’s paper – by the class of San Antonio boxing writers, John Whisler – Mendoza fired a left cross at William Ramon and damaged Ramon’s nose severely enough to win in the first minute.

Mendoza didn’t quite advance to the finals, though, as he ran into a tricky boxer-puncher named Chris Pope, Friday, and was bemused by Pope’s head movement and coiled attack. But there was little shame in that; Pope went on to decision Jose Garcia in the first match of Saturday’s Open Championship and win the Sub-novice heavyweight title.

Saturday was a treat. Where the Novice Championship was held at Woodlawn Gym on Friday – and saw James Leija, son of former world champion “Jesse” James Leija – become Sub-novice light welterweight champion after making his debut just three days before, Saturday’s Open Championship happened in the elegant World War I-era confines of Municipal Auditorium, a few blocks from the Alamo.

By then, though, most of the aforementioned friends and familiars were through with the tournament; while Municipal Auditorium had many more fans than attended the National PALs in October, Saturday’s crowd was well shy of capacity.

Those that did come out saw the United States Marine Corps, under the tutelage of coach Jesse Ravelo, dominate the Open division, with a few notable exceptions – like local stylist Benjamin Whitaker, who beat Justin Gover in a fantastic welterweight scrap.

An interesting note about USMC: About 3/4 of the Marines that were in the tournament have permanent orders that ensure boxing is their fulltime job. They are not paid for their fights. But they are paid to fight.

Don’t be surprised if one of those Marines – lightweight superstar Tommy Roque, who won the tournament’s Outstanding Boxer award – eventually does get paid for his fights. You read it here first: If he chooses not to reenlist, Roque will enjoy a solid career as a prizefighter.

And don’t be surprised, either, if one vote for 2011 Fight of the Year goes to an incredible four-round bout made by San Antonio’s Selina Barrios and USMC’s Melissa Parker. Yes, two 132-pound female amateurs just set a mark to which male prizefighters must start to aspire.

Bart Barry can be reached at bbarry@15rounds.com

Last year under the radar the very well respected Juan Carlos Payano who had enjoyed a stellar amateur career finally decided the time was right for him to move into the pro game. He had fought in many International tournaments including 2 Olympics & World Championships and had received an offer an offer he liked so elected to hang up the head gear. The 26 year old Dominican Republic born fighter is currently 4-0(2) though is based out of Miami, Florida. He intends to have a big 2011 and move quickly. Here’s what he had to say.

Hello Juan Carlos, welcome to 15rounds.com

Thank you for having me on.

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you turned pro August 2010 and quickly moved to 4-0(2) how have you found fighting in the pro’s so far? What’s the toughest part?

Juan Carlos Payano – Yes, I have been moving quickly, I am having a great time so far. The hardest part is staying patient in the fight, but I am working on that everyday in the gym.

Anson Wainwright – When will you fight next? What sort of schedule are you looking at for 2011?

Juan Carlos Payano – I will fight in March in Nicaragua, my promoter and manager are looking for a busy 2011 no less than 10 fights.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly train at?

Juan Carlos Payano – My promoter is Henry Rivalta (Dream Team Boxing Promotions) my manager and trainer is Herman Caicedo he has over 17 years in the pros, trained Lou Del Valle, Shannon Briggs, Ray Mercer, and the gym is Dream Team Gym in Miami.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your style of fighting?

Juan Carlos Payano – My style of fighting is a boxer/puncher.

Anson Wainwright – Do you have a nickname?

Juan Carlos Payano – My nickname is “El Don” I got it from my team mates

Anson Wainwright – What was it like for you growing up in the Dominican Republic as a child? Was it tough like for you like many other boxers?

Juan Carlos Payano – Well it was very tough, we were very poor, but boxing was a way for me to travel see the world and help pay the home bills and feed my family.

Anson Wainwright – How did you first get interested and then involved in Boxing?

Juan Carlos Payano – I started boxing at 6 years old, my dad took me to a fight and after that I wanted to box.

Anson Wainwright – You had a very impressive amateur fighting at the Olympics twice and the Worlds. Can you tell us what tournaments you won medals in and what your final record was?

Juan Carlos Payano – I won medals in Pan American games, Central American games, two Olympics and World championships, my final record was over 500 fights.

Anson Wainwright – What made your turn pro at 25 years old? Was it always your intention to go pro?

Juan Carlos Payano – Henry Rivalta and Herman Caicedo came to the Dominican Republic to meet with a few of us, unlike the many who came before them, they were very truthful and sincere. Promised nothing but dedication and hard work on our behalf. I planned to turn pro earlier than 25 but it didn’t happen, I did not trust any of the firms and people who came to recruit us.

Anson Wainwright – What fighters did you fight in the amateur’s that are now professional and how did you do?

Juan Carlos Payano – I fought Yuriorkis Gamboa, Yoandris Salinas I am not sure who else has gone pro. But I fought the best in the world for many years. I am sure there are a few guys and even champions.

Anson Wainwright – Your last fight you 118 but you have been up at Super Bantamweight, what weight are you looking to fight at going forward?

Juan Carlos Payano – I am fighting at 118, the reason for the higher weight is the opponents do not want to fight me at 118 so I moved up to give them the weight advantage.

Anson Wainwright – Who was your hero growing up and who do you enjoy watching today?

Juan Carlos Payano – Pernell Whitaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, and as many other do I love Manny Pacquiao.

Anson Wainwright – What do you enjoy doing away from Boxing? What are your hobbies and interests?

Juan Carlos Payano – I play the guitar, and I am a tech geek. I love all sports but I am learning American football and really enjoying it…My coach/manager is teaching me that also…

Thanks for your time Juan Carlos, keep up the hard work.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

A few leftovers while wondering whether 34-year-old Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s birthday wish Thursday included a bout with Manny Pacquiao sometime before he turns 35:

· Nonito Donaire’s second-round stoppage of Fernando Montiel Saturday provided a badly needed shot of drama in a sport desperate for some. It also has Donaire rapidly climbing the pound-for-pound ladder, although this corner still has fellow Filipino Manny Pacquiao at No. 1 and Mayweather at No. 2. At No. 3, it’s either Donaire or Sergio Martinez. I’d still like to see Donaire in another 12-round bout full of adversity and adjustments.

· Donaire’s relationship with Victor Conte resulted in questions as tiresome as they were predictable. Conte’s well-documented role with Balco, Barry Bonds, performance enhancers and his 2005 prison sentence are impossible to ignore. Donaire began to get exasperated with the repeated questions. Yet, nobody asked Donaire to undergo random testing, the Mayweather demand that derailed talks for a fight with Pacquiao, who has no relationship with Conte..

· Ricardo Mayorga might test Miguel Cotto for a couple of rounds, but the real significance of the fight on March 12 is Top Rank promoter Bob Arum’s move away from HBO and to Showtime/ CBS. The March 12 bout is a test run for the Showtime telecast of Pacquiao-Shane Mosley on May 7. Before the Donaire stunner over Montiel, Arum repeated his hope that the Showtime/ CBS deal will re-introduce boxing to a larger audience, instead of one that sees it only on premium TV. But he has no illusions. He has to convince CBS executives that sponsors will buy boxing. It doesn’t matter whether they like boxing, he said. “It’s all about the Benjamins,’’ said Arum, who is betting he can deliver a lot of the $100s between now and May 7.

· Delivering the sales pitch: In a bid to deliver sponsors to CBS, Top Rank has hired Lucia McKelvey, IMG’s former vice president for Golf Development & Sales. IMG represents Tiger Woods.

· Antonio Margarito was in Las Vegas for Donaire-Montiel. If Cotto – as expected – prevails against Mayorga, there’s been talk of a summer rematch of Margarito’s 2008 upset of Cotto. But one look at Margarito says that might be too soon. His face bears the marks of the brutal beating he took from Pacquiao in November. A fracture to his right orbital bone still appears to be healing. If there is a rematch, it looks as if Margarito would be wise to wait until at least the end of the year.

· HBO showed a terrific premiere of Runnin’ Rebels of UNLV a week ago, the Friday night before Donaire-Montiel. UNLV basketball in the 1980s and early 1990s was as big an attraction in Vegas under former coach Jerry Tarkanian as any major fight. In some ways, UNLV took a page out of the boxing book. The Rebels played the bad guys in a good-versus-evil drama that is missing in today’s edition of college basketball.

· It’s hard to believe that the first black heavyweight champ, Jack Johnson, still hasn’t been granted a posthumous pardon. More than a century ago, Johnson did time for a violation of the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for so-called immoral purposes. After all, how hard is it for Barack Obama or any other president to put pen to paper? Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Representative Peter King have renewed a legislative attempt that has been in the works longer than talk about Pacquiao-Mayweather.

Back in December of 2009, Ana Julaton defeated veteran Donna Biggers before a raucous and supportive crowd in San Jose, California to claim the vacant WBO 122-pound title. Now, a little over a year later, the wildly popular Julaton returns to the Bay Area, defending the title against veteran Franchesca Alcanter at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, California this Friday night.

Unlike the last time Julaton (7-2-1, 1 KO) of Daly City, California fought in the Bay Area, this time around she trained away from home. “It was definitely a change of pace,” said Julaton. “I miss everyone at home and all my friends and family, but it feels really good to be training at the Wild Card Gym. There are a lot of exceptional fighters over there, all getting ready for a fight. Just being able to be in that whole boxing element, I feel like I am at an academy or school of professional boxing. So being able to immerse myself in the world of professional boxing, I feel it has been a good camp.”

Julaton began her professional career training at the Wild Card in Hollywood, California under Freddie Roach and the two reunited prior to her last bout, a June 2010 title defense against Maria Villalobos. “Freddie pushes really hard,” said Julaton. “Everything went really well though.” As always, the services of Roach are a well sought after commodity, but Julaton was able to get her share of time with the esteemed trainer. “There are lots of other fighters getting ready for a fight, and I feel lucky and fortunate that he is spending the time to look at my stuff,” said Julaton. “But I make sure I do my part and listen and push myself really hard. So far it has been working out really well.”

Julaton’s primary sparring partner in Hollywood was former world champion Rodel Mayol. “He has been helping me a lot,” says Julaton. “He helps me work, and he will capitalize on all my mistakes, and he will punish me. Overall it has been humbling. It puts a lot of emphasis and focus on the sparring, making sure that I am sharp and stuff. So it has been great.”

Sandwiched in between Julaton’s title-winning effort over Biggers and her upcoming defense was a rollercoaster 2010. Julaton signed with Orion Sports Management and took her title to Canada in hopes of winning the WBA version against Lisa Brown. The trip proved fruitless, as Brown won a convincing decision. Before her next bout just three months later, Julaton left trainer Nonito Donaire Sr. and rejoined Roach in Hollywood before regaining the WBO title with the points win over Villalobos. Julaton’s team hoped to line up another bout before the end of the year, but a fight did not to fruition until now.

Despite some disappointments, Julaton does not look back on the year with any regrets. “I don’t take anything back about how everything has happened so far over the past year,” said Julaton. “I really got to spend a lot of time on just getting back to Freddie’s style as well as incorporating all of the stuff I learned from Nonito Sr. It also has really helped get me to look at this year as a fresh start and taking it one fight at a time.”

As has been the case for most of her professional career, the next fight for Julaton comes against a more experienced veteran opponent, Franchesca Alcanter (18-9-1, 9 KOs) of Kansas City, Missouri. In her most recent ring appearance, Alcanter hung tough with the well respected Ina Menzer in a failed attempt at a 126-pound title in Germany in May of 2009.

“I saw her last fight with Menzer,” reveals Julaton. “She’s very experienced. She has been in multiple world championship fights and she fights at 130, 126 weight classes. This fight will be at 122, so she is a bigger girl coming down to a smaller weight division. I know she’s taking this fight very seriously and she is training really hard to try and take the WBO title away from me.” For those reasons, Julaton expects a challenge Friday night. “For every title fight that I go into, I expect to be sharp and strong for all ten rounds. Overall it’s going to be a great fight.”

Local fight fans should plan on being in attendance this Friday in Richmond if they want to see a Julaton fight live in 2011, as her team is already working on potential dates in the Philippines and Canada. “Since winning the title, I have had the opportunity to fight in Canada, and I am looking into the possibility of fighting internationally, and I don’t know when I will be able to come back home again and fight in the Bay Area,” says Julaton.

There is the possibility that Julaton may never again fight in her home area. If she was sticking to the timetable she set for her career a couple of years ago, Friday’s fight would not even be taking place. “It’s so funny being able to sit back a think about all the stuff I used to say back then, like how I wanted to be able to retire by the time I was 30,” says Julaton, who turned 30-years-old last year. “As far as how long will I stay in this sport? It is really hard to say. I just feel inspired and I fall in love with the sport more and more. I know there will be a point in my life when I will not have this anymore. I am just taking it one fight at a time. I want to see how far I can go.

Maybe three or four, or four or five more big fights. But you never know.”

Photo by Alfredo Perez

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached ortega15rds@lycos.com.

While the Canadian people love Lucian Bute & Jean Pascal what they crave more than ever is one of there own to reach such hights on the world stage. In 2010 after a standout amateur career Mikael Zewski decided to to turn pro, he’s quickly reached 7-0(4). So far Zewski has looked the part using his undoubted skills to turn back all challenger’s. The 22 year old plies his trade in the Light Middleweight division thought at nearly 6 feet tall he could well one day grow into a fully fledged Middleweight. He hails from the Largest Industrial City in Canada Trois-Rivieres in the province of Quebec. It is situated roughly half way between Montreal & Quebec City which should help him become an attraction in both City’s. He’s already very popular, if he can continue to shine he may in a few years become his countries next star.

Hello Mikael, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Though it’s early days, do you know when and where you may next fight? Do you have a plan for 2011?

Mikael Zewski – I’m fighting March 4th at Palm Springs Casino in Indio, California . I just switched to 6 rounder so in 2011 I want to get used to longer fights and turn to 8 Rounds.

Anson Wainwright – You recently fought in Puerto Rico, that must of been a different experience for you can you tell us about that?

Mikael Zewski – I really enjoy fighting in smaller places because people get there for the whole card, they want to see the entire event not only the Main Event, they are true boxing fans, I would return to Puerto Rico anytime.

Anson Wainwright – You have completed your first year as a pro, how have you found it? How happy have you been with your progress?

Mikael Zewski – I love the pros, its totally different but I always had a pro style, I want to fight, I enjoy the fact that I don’t have to care about the points like in the Amateurs, I just need to fight, do my thing and win rounds.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter?

Mikael Zewski – I got the best team and I believe this is one of the keys to success, the game as no more secrets for my manager Cameron Dunkin who has brought from nothing to World Champions many fighters. My father is my coach and we have a one of a kind relationship, boxing is his passion and he is the best to me. And my Promoter is Golden Boy Promotions, I don’t have to say anything about them everybody knows who they are, The Best.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about your early years growing up in Trois-Rivières, Canada & How did you first got into Boxing?

Mikael Zewski – When I was young I used to do all the sports, before boxing I played Football, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Snowboard, skateboard…. My dad was a boxer when he was younger and once I was in a Basketball tournament and he told me – if you score a couple times I will bring you to the boxing gym. I was amazed, I scored he brought me to the gym and my great career began.

Anson Wainwright – You had an impressive amatear career, can you tell us about some of the honours you won and the tournaments you fought at? Also what current pro’s did you fight & what was your final record?

Mikael Zewski – The great thing about Amateur boxing is that it made me travel a lot, in 2004 I won a Silver Medal at the Youth Pan Am Games in Colorado Springs, in 2005 I went in Liverpool, England for the Youth World Championship and I got ranked 5th, in 2007 I went to the Junior World Championship in Morocco and in 2009 In Italy for the Senior World Championship. In Italy I fought the Moroccan guy and I won 10-2 then I fought the Cuban Carlos Banteuax Suarez and I won 5-2, and finally I lost to the guy from Uzbekistan. I got ranked 5th in that tournament. Early in 2009 we had a dual match in Canada against Germany, I won against Jack Culcay and he is the one who won the 2009 World Championship in Italy. He is now 7-0 as a Pro.

Anson Wainwright – You fought twice in your home state of Quebec, what does it mean to you to fight infront of your friends and family?

Mikael Zewski – The two times I fought in Quebec were amazing experiences, its nice when all your friends and family can come to watch you live, every time I meet boxing fans they always ask me when I’m going to fight in Quebec again, but I can’t tell. I enjoy fighting in USA anyways, they have great boxing fans

Anson Wainwright – When your not Boxing what do you enjoy doing with your spare time? Do you have any hobbies or Interests? What other sports do you like and who do you support?

Mikael Zewski – Boxing is a full time job, when im done training for the day I don’t have much energy to do anything else, I never go out in clubs, I don’t drink I don’t smoke, I like playing Poker and obviously here in Canada the big sport is Hockey so I have to support the Montreal Canadians, I like football also and I support a couple teams, Cowboys from Dallas , Steelers form Pittsburgh and Green bay Packers, for Basketball I like the Lakers.

Anson Wainwright – For you what are the best and worst things about being a boxer?

Mikael Zewski – This is the most beautiful sport in the world, when you step in the ring and you have that feeling that only fighters can feel, its you and the other guy, no one else, people scream but you can’t hear anyone but your coach, that’s what boxing is.

The worst thing to me is the diets, i hate being on diet, I love to eat a lot, to be honest I like junk food for I can’t eat it most of the time cause I have to loose weight for my fights.

Anson Wainwright – What fighters did you enjoy fight growing up and who do you look up to now?

Mikael Zewski – My idol is Sugar Ray Leonard, I really liked his style but as I grew up I liked Oscar de la Hoya and he is still a model to me outside of the ring because he is a true gentlemen. I like Hopkins for his inside fighting and his attitude; I liked Fernando Vargas also for his attitude. I like a lot of different fighters for different things I like Mayweather for his defence, I like Juan Manuel Marquez because to me he is the combinations King.

I watch a lot of fights of these guys and I try to pull out a couple things that I can do in sparring and in my fights.

Anson Wainwright – What are your goals in Boxing?

Mikael Zewski – I’ve been working so hard, since I was 9, to become successful in Pro boxing. I want to be a p4p top in the world, a well accomplished World champion and become a Hall of Famer. But for now Im at the bottom of the ladder to the top since I’m just starting in the pros so I just want to go up and up.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans in Canada?

Mikael Zewski – I just want everyone to know that without them boxing would not be what it is. Boxing fans in Canada show me a good support and I enjoy it. Hopefully soon enough I will be on PPV and people will be able to see me fight where ever I fight.

Thanks for your time Mikael.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Thursday thoughts – Darren Barker’s manager/trainer Tony Sims told me that the recent split from Hennessy Promotions to go with Barry Hearn’s Matchroom was because Mick Hennessy couldn’t provide TV for his fighter. Next Monday Barker will find out where & when he will be facing Domenico Spada for the vacant European title. Sims hopes the fight will be in late April…Tonight Fight Night Club returns at The Nokia Center in downtown L.A where four interesting prospects see action. Jesse Vargas goes up against Jose Armando Santa Cruz in what will be by far his toughest test to date. Also scheduled to appear Welterweight Micheal Finney, Ghanian Middleweight Bostie Samir & Irish 135’er Jamie Kavanagh. Also in California James Toney gets back to Boxing after Trying UFC. On Saturday Showtime are doing a split site show, in Las Vegas Miguel Acosta meets Brandon Rios for WBA Lightweight title, in what looks a very interesting match up. The undercard features Robert Marroquin & Jesse Magdaleno two exciting prospects. In the other half of the Showtime broadcast Antonio De Marco squares off with Reyes Sanchez. One of the most underated prospects in Boxing returns on that undercard Terrence Crawford 12-0(9), he helped Tim Bradley with sparring ahead of the Devon Alexander fight and received high praise from Bradley…Stay tuned for upcoming Interviews with Ricardo Mayorga & Australian prospect Paul Fleming.

One of Britain’s most promising prospects is currently Scott Quigg, he boasts an impressive 21-0(14) record. He campaigns in the talented Super Bantamweight division and though a pro since 2007 he is already fighting the twelve round distance and has showed talent and poise that belay his 22 years. Recently he took himself to The Wild Card gym in Los Angeles which of course his the home to several of the top fighters in the world including Manny Pacquiao & Amir Khan. This year Quigg hopes to win the British Super Bantamweight title and make inroads to his eventual goal of winning a world title.

Hello Scott, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us when we can expect to see you back in action & against whom?

Scott Quigg – I’m back out on April 16 on the Khan-McCloskey bill but not sure the opponent at the moment.

Anson Wainwright – You have gone to America to train at the World famous Wild Card gym in L.A can you tell us about what made you decide to do this and how it’s going?

Scott Quigg – I’ve come out to the Wild Card because the training an sparring over here brings you on leaps an bounds. I’m being coached by Jesse Reid while I’m out here.

Anson Wainwright – You enjoyed a very solid 2010 going 5-0(4) what can you tell us about how you felt you did last year and how you feel you have improved?

Scott Quigg – Yes 2010 was a good year I had 5 good wins an each fight the opponents got better an so did I. I needed to do to win them and that was the main thing each fight I improved.

Anson Wainwright – What are your plans for 2011? Who are you targeting?

Scott Quigg – Hopefully in 2011 I will get a chance to fight for the British title as that’s my main goal for 2011 an then by end of the year be British and European champion cause in the next 16 months I wanna be ready for a world title fight.

Anson Wainwright – How would you describe your style of fighting for anyone who hasn’t seen you fight so far?

Scott Quigg – I’d describe my style as an aggressive come forward boxer who likes to use angles to confuse my opponent.

Anson Wainwright – Who is part of your team, who is your manager, trainer & promoter?

Scott Quigg – My trainer is Brian Hughes who is also my manager and I also get help from Pat Barrett, Darren Phillips and Mike Jackson we all work as a team. My promoter is Ricky Hatton (Hatton Promotions)

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how you first became interested and took up Boxing?

Scott Quigg – As a young kid I was a Thai boxer and was very successful but I’d always wanted to be a boxer so at 16 I changed over to boxing and it’s just gone from there.

Anson Wainwright – What was your amateur career like? What titles did you win and did you represent England? What was your final record?

Scott Quigg – My amateur record was 12 fights 10 wins 2 losses I won the Junior ABA’s after in 7 fights an represented England 4 times winning a gold medal in a multination’s tournament.

Anson Wainwright – The Super Bantamweight division in Britain has Rendell Munroe & Jason Booth who fought for world titles last year. What did you think of those fights? How far do you think you are from fighting those guys?

Scott Quigg – I thought they both did very well they both showed they deserved to be mixing in world class. I think I’m ready for them now in a couple more fights I’d be more than ready I would like to fight Jason Booth next because he’s the British champion but both of them would be very hard fights because they are world class fighters.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do with your time when you’re not Boxing?

Scott Quigg – I just spend time with my girlfriend and my family I’m not really interested in much.

Anson Wainwright – Do you have a nickname?

Scott Quigg – I don’t have one.

Anson Wainwright – What are your goals in Boxing?

Scott Quigg – My goal in boxing is to be a world champion an that’s what I’m gonna do I wouldn’t be in the sport if I didn’t think I will be the best it will be a long hard road but I will become world champion it’s gonna take dedication an sacrifices which I’m prepared to do but I have the ability to do it as well.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the Super Bantamweight division?

Scott Quigg – Nope, hopefully my performances in the ring will make there own message for the other Super Bantamweights.

Thanks for your time Scott.

Anson Wainwright

15rounds.com

Midweek Thoughts – Going in I figured Montiel-Donaire was a 50-50 fight, I certainly didn’t think it would be a massacre. Donaire looked sensational in nearly decapitating Montiel. I’m really looking forward to seeing Donaire over the next couple of years. After being on the end of that KO like that I wonder if Montiel can bounce back to his old form, I hear he also suffered a broken jaw…Mike Jones did what he needed to against Jesus Soto Karass but he doesn’t look like the next in a long line of Philadelphia badass’s…Felix Sturm stopped Ronald Hearns in seven in Germany, I guess there’s only so far good jeans take you. As I read elsewhere it’s a shame that Hearns wasn’t built up to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr that could of made both guys a load of money…Golden Boy partitioned the WBC for Saul Alvarez-Matthew Hatton to be for there vacant Light Middleweight title and they got there way last week. Hatton hasn’t ever fought about the Welterweight limit in a fight scheduled for more than 8 rounds & Alvarez career high is 151. Seems like this fight should of been down at 147…A WBC Final eliminator will take place in Algeria between Ali Chebah & Ajose Olusegun on 25 March.