" That became what it was," said Holloway, of his growing rep as good work for other fighters preparing for significant bouts." At first I used the opportunities to kind of gain experience because I had a long amateur background. I had 111 amateur fights but at the same time I didn’t have a lot of pro fights, so I used that experience in being with with pros to not really make up for the fights but to see where I was at and give me that experience I was missing. I used it for that and it helped me make a name for myself. It just really showed me where I belonged and gave me a lot of respect from the guys, like world champions and other people around."
Currently, Holloway has a record of 11-1-1 with 5 knockouts to his credit, fighting mostly on small, non-televised shows throughout the country. But this Wednesday night he faces Francisco Figueroa from the Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, N.C on ESPN2, which is part of the networks week long salute to the veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.
This is his chance to shine on a big stage, in front of a national audience.
" Oh, most definitely, it definitely is. I’m facing a well-known opponent who was ranked in the top ten in the world. So it’s the perfect opportunity," said Holloway, who’s career he hoped, would have been at a higher plateau by now." I tell you what, coming off the Pacquiao-De La Hoya camp, was like my career high. I got so much publicity off that, Everybody knew about me and a lot of people found out about me. Everything was just supposed to go further from there, everything was supposed to go up. When the injury happened, I just had to regroup and do some soul-searching and just stay focused. I had to work harder just to get the old me, back."
Holloway, who was lauded by trainer Freddie Roach, as giving ’the Pac Man’ his best work before last years bout against De La Hoya, was scheduled to fight in late December last year. About a week before that appointment, he engaged in a sparring session with Margarito, who fractured his right orbital bone, that required him to be out of the gym for a couple of months. He returned in March and scored an eight round decision versus Doel Carrasquillo, followed up by a disappointing draw against Harrison Cuello, who had just been blown out in one round by Vanes Martirosyan.
" It was definitely an off-night, I’m not one to cry about it. But the judges saw it that way, I thought I won the fight, the crowd thought I won the fight and so did the promoter," said Holloway." But at the same time it was still an ugly fight. It was just ugly altogether, an off-night and an awkward guy. He was an awkward, experienced guy. He didn’t necessarily come to win, he came mostly to survive. But y’know, I’m not going to go that far, but I didn’t do what I should’ve done in the fight, as well."
Holloway admits, that at the time, while his injury had healed physically, psychological issues remained. He lost a bit of his mojo.
" Without a doubt, I’m the type of guy that would drop my hands right in front of you, make you miss and counter. I’m a cocky guy inside the ring, at times. But I’m at home in there and it took me awhile for me to feel at home, again. I’ve never been scared and I’ve always been known to be tough and have a good chin. I’ve never been afraid of getting hit and at that time I just really wanted to be sure my eye was OK," stated Holloway, who has since defeated Ken Dunham via six-round decision in late August." So I even think coming back when I fought, I fought too soon. I should’ve taken a lot more time to just get myself together and make sure I was OK before I got in the ring and I didn’t. I jumped in the ring a couple of months after it happened. When the doctor said it was OK, I should’ve taken a little more time.
" But it was good for me because even coming back in those fights, it helped me adjust."
He’s 28 years old, certainly not old, but not necessarily young, either. It’s the age when most fighters should be in their earning prime. Holloway has talked of situating himself with an established manager and promoter, to help expedite that process.
The native of Cincinnati, Ohio says," To be honest with you, I’ve always had options, I’ve always had offers. The thing is, I just haven’t had the right one. And you know, especially at my age, I can’t afford to sign the wrong contract. If I do, then my career is pretty much over. So I’ve been pretty patient. Let’s just say after this fight, I go out there and do what I’m supposed to do, which I will, everything will be a lot better. This is what I needed, right here. It’s hard to demand anything when your last couple of outings weren’t the greatest."
The last time we saw Figueroa he was getting laid out by Randall Bailey in brutal fashion in four rounds. But Holloway is not measuring his performance against Bailey. In short, horses for courses.
" Styles definitely make fights," said Holloway, who’s much more of a boxer, than banger." Like I said, I’m preparing myself to face a killer in the ring. I’m just saying, given what happened to him, given what happened in his last fight, usually they bring guys back, they bring them back for a confidence builder or they’re careful how they match them and I think the boxing world and the people that know me will tell you they didn’t match him too carefully in this fight, at all."
Holloway, who migrated from Cincy to Raleigh, at the behest of his brother, is excited to return to ’Tobacco Road’.
" I just fought there on August 29Th, I fought a southpaw and I’m going back there again to fight another southpaw. So I’ve got a pretty good fan-base around there. On the Marine base where I’m fighting at, I’ve fought quite a few of those guys and I know the Marine coach, real well."
A big victory on Wednesday night and Holloway’s days as a mere sparring partner, could be numbered.
" At the end of this year, I got offers on the table and I’ll have a lot more," he says, forecasting his future." 2010, will be my breakout year. I would really like to fight for a world title with less than 20 fights."
DECEMBER
Sources tell Maxboxing that despite some pressure to switch dates, Goossen-Tutor has decided to stick to their December 5Th date and that the bout between Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez will take place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, at the small room at the Boardwalk Hall.
So the rematch between Juan Diaz and Paulie Malignaggi will take place the week after and it might end up- not in Chicago- but in Las Vegas, I’m told.
I don’t know about you, but I think both shows are mis-placed. Where are the local pulls/attractions on either show? I forecast a lot of empty seats for both of these promotions.
SHOWTIME
I was able to view this past weekends broadcast on Showtime on Sunday night and I came away with a few thoughts....
- Antonio DeMarco is better than I thought. He may look a bit frail, but he’s got good, solid, natural, wiry strength. And he gets good leverage and torque on his punches and he also has a knack of running his opponents into his shots. In stopping Jose Alfaro in ten, he won the WBC interim lightweight belt. I didn’t believe this a few months ago, but I think he’s very competitive against Edwin Valero.
- Yonnhy Perez-Joseph Agbeko is one of the five best fights of the year. The action was non-stop and it culminated in the final two frames. While the margins were perhaps a bit too wide, I thought that Perez clearly won this fight. I wouldn’t mind seeing it again.
- Perez is now must-see TV. He has engaged in two of the best fights of 2009( his late KO of Silence Mabuza was quite a battle) and he’s an all-action fighter who just throws punches.
- Maybe it’s just me, I really don’t care if Mike Tyson and Don King have buried the hatchet and have reunited. For some reason, it was more compelling to me when Tyson hated his guts.
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS FLURRIES
Just me, but I thought that the bout between Sebastian Sylvester and Giovanni Lorenzo on Sept, 19Th for the vacant IBF middleweight title, won by Sylvester on split decision, could have gone either way....24/7 really likes the shot of Cotto’s pal, Bryan Perez, doing cannonballs in the pool, don’t they? I could’ve done without the scenes of them trying to take off each others swimming trunks inside the water....I’ll have a full feature on him later this week, but it was revealed to me by promoter Russell Peltz that his prized welterweight Mike Jones, has re-signed with his company for three more years.....This weeks edition of ’the Main Event’ will be a taped edition (I think most of you listen to the archived version, anyway) but we will have Glen Johnson and we are scheduled to talk to ’RA, the Rugged Man’....Any questions or comments, email me at k9kim@yahoo.com.....Twitter.com/stevemaxboxing...
