Rising lightweight Giovanni Cabrera fights this Saturday in Las Vegas

The last time undefeated lightweight Giovanni Cabrera (19-0, 7 KO’s) was in the ring he was impressing in his debut for a brand-new promoter, Vegas-based Top Rank Boxing, who had just inked him to a contract. He clocked into work at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he banged his way to a UD 8 over rugged Mexican veteran Rene Terrez Giron. 

On Saturday, he will step back into the ring for his 2nd trip to the plate in 2022 in Las Vegas against Elias Araujo, an Argentina-born, Fresno, California-residing veteran who comes in at 21-4 with 8 KO’s. While Araujo comes in at 1-3 in his last 4 bouts, it should be noted that 3 of those 4 fighters are unbeaten with a combined record of 36-0 (27 KOs). Araujo will not be intimidated by an unbeaten record and will be a tough test for Cabrera. 

Cabrera’s bout will be one of the support bouts on the card featuring Janibek Alimkhanuly against Danny Dignum and the return of Jamel Herring who is set to face Jamaine Ortiz in a 10-round lightweight bout.    

Cabrera, a former Chicago Golden Gloves champion, who narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2016 Olympics, will be trying to show why he is a fighter to keep an eye on.

To say that Cabrera has attracted the attention of some of boxing‘s key players would be an understatement, to say the least. He is managed by highly regarded Steve Feder, who has worked with numerous champions and contenders throughout his career and is being trained by world-renowned Freddie Roach, somebody who you’d be hard-pressed to pin down to a training commitment unless he saw some serious potential. 

Before his last bout, Top Rank’s legendary promoter Bob Arum said, “Giovanni is a legitimate lightweight contender who just needs an opportunity to showcase his talents,”. Feder, working with Top Rank, is certainly providing showcase opportunities for the young, Seattle-born boxer and he is looking to make the most of them. 

Before his Top Rank, Oklahoma debut, Cabrera knew there was no time like the present and seemed excited to get going. 

“I have Freddie Roach in my corner and the skills to reach the top. It’s now or never”, he said. 

On Saturday night he will be under the lights at Resorts World Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas looking to keep his undefeated record intact and take another next step towards his ultimate goal - a world title shot. 

MaxBoxing caught up with the well-spoken fighter, currently training in Los Angeles, to get his thoughts on his new promoter, his next fight, and the next steps in his career.

Bill Tibbs: Hi Giovanni, thanks for taking a minute to chat. 

Giovanni Cabrera: Hey Bill, no problem. 

BT: Tell me a bit about your amateur career. 

GC: I started boxing at 16 in Chicago. By 19 I had won the Chicago Golden Gloves. Then, I went out to LA, training at the Wild Card, and thought about turning pro but realized I wasn’t ready at that time. I had some things to work on with regard to my style to fight in the pro’s. I wasn’t quite ready. I needed to learn to brawl a bit more, that kind of style. So, I went to Leon, Mexico, where my father is from. I fought amateur in Mexico. I won the Leon state title, the Nationals. I eventually made it to the 2016 Olympic trials and made it to the 2nd round. Then, I returned to Chicago and turned pro.

BT: Is Cabrera Mexican? It sounds Italian.

GC: My mother is Italian, and my father is Mexican, from Mexico.   

BT: You boxed out of Chicago after turning pro but was it always your plan to head out west?

GC: I had some disagreements with my trainer and management in Chicago about my professional career so I thought I would head out to LA. I feel it was always my destiny to head to Los Angeles and box out of the Wild Card. I always wanted to do it, as I said, I feel it was like my destiny.  

BT: You have a great team. Steve Feder, is one of the best in managing. And, of course, legend Freddie Roach, and Pepe Reilly, a great trainer, in the corner. That’s a fantastic crew. How did that all come together? 

GC: I got a meeting with Freddie Roach. We met last July 19, my birthday. We talked and 2 days later he said, ‘Do you want to meet Manny Pacquiao?’. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’. Of course, I do’. I had idolized him, loved watching him, especially as a southpaw fighter. Then he says to me ‘Do you want to spar with him? You are about the same size as (Errol) Spence. You can go 6 rounds. You’ll either get knocked out or you can stay. So, sparring with him was like my test in front of Freddie. Pepe was in my corner that day in sparring and he has always kind of looked out for me in the gym, and Steve had seen me spar before.  

BT: You made your Top Rank debut a few months back. But, you had 18 fights under your belt so you weren’t coming in totally green to the pro‘s. But, how did you feel in that fight? Did you feel any extra pressure? 

GC: I wouldn’t say I felt pressure, but I did wonder how I would respond after the (over 2-year) layoff. I was wondering about that a bit. I always felt I could do it and would be fine, but I was wondering how I would respond after the layoff. I had been very busy in my first 3 years as a pro and then the big layoff. I think that was one of the problems I had in making weight. This time, I am on weight much better, and I will make weight much easier. I want to take this to the next level and be a true professional. I want to go for it. I want to see the best version of myself and see what that is, show people the best version of me that is possible.  

BT: Are you living and training full time in LA? 

GC: Yes, I am no longer living in Chicago. As soon as I got the chance to work with Freddie, I moved out here to train and live full time.

BT: You are at an interesting time in your career. You are approaching 20 fights, so you’ll see the competition pick up. After this fight, you’ll have faced 2 very tough veterans back-to-back. How are you feeling regarding your development at this stage of your career?

GC: I feel good. I have beaten a lot of undefeated fighters. I feel it is my job to go out there and prove myself time and time again. I know the guy I am fighting this coming Saturday is a tough veteran and he is coming to win. He is going to throw a lot of punches and he is looking to win but like I said it is my job to go out there and prove myself every time.   

BT: How would you describe your style? What do you think are your greatest strengths?

GC: I think a lot of people see me and they think I’m just awkward, but I see it as intelligence. I think my style is a homage to the old school fighters - Muhammad Ali, Willie Pep, Pernell Whitaker, guys like that. Guys who know how to be the bull and the matador. I move with intelligence, side to side, control the ring, and control my opponent. I can box and move, and I can be aggressive. I use my movement to stay out of range, yet I am in range to engage. 

BT: This is your 2nd fight of 2022. How many times do you think you’ll fight this year? 

GC: I’d like to fight every other month if I could. I want to fight as often as I can, I want to be busy. I want to have a career like Pacquiao, with 50 to 60 fights. This is what I do; fighters fight. You only have so much time and energy in boxing; the time is now, and I want to go for it. 

BT: Gio thanks so much for taking a few minutes to talk. Best of luck next Saturday. It was nice chatting with you. 

GC: Thanks brother, I appreciate it. Nice chatting with you as well.