Jorge Capetillo on Jessie Magdaleno: 'He will become a two-time world champion'

Jorge Capetillo has been working with fighters, amateur and professional, for many years. However, it was after stopping the (dangerously close to fight-ending) gash over WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury’s eye back in 2018 that he really started to get some international attention.

People were wondering who the friendly, shy, soft spoken cornerman was who stepped into the toughest of situations, with so much on the line, and saved the day (or in this case the eye) of British star Fury.

Capetillo, again assisting with Team Fury, (supporting cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran and trainer Javan “Sugar” Hill) just recently enjoyed his second great title night with the champion. The massive Brit battered former campion Deontay Wilder stopping him again on February 22, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, to leave no doubt as to who the best heavyweight on the planet is right now.

For Capetillo it was a great night. However, the next day it was back to the gym to work with his ever-expanding stable of fighters.

Maxboxing had a chance to catch up with Capetillo, from his home in Las Vegas, where he has been helping to get featherweight contender, and former super bantamweight world champion, Jessie Magdaleno ready for his next assignment in New York on March 14th.

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

Jorge Capatillo: Hello my friend, how are you?

BT: Good, thanks. Let’s get right to it. So, that was another great win for Fury in Las Vegas. Did it go the way you expected it to?

JC: Well, Tyson had a very good camp and was in fantastic shape going into the fight. He worked very hard in camp to be ready to go out and be aggressive and put on a great performance. He did very well in the fight and controlled the fight and stopped him. He was ready and prepared to be aggressive and put his punches together. He looked very good. It was a great win for him.

BT: You seem to be part of a great team there. He sure looked well prepared.

JC: I am just blessed to be in a position to be able to be around a great fighter like Tyson and the rest of the team. I always thank God for allowing me to be in a position to be part of a great fight like that.

BT: Let’s talk about your upcoming fight in New York with Jessie Magdaleno. Jessie has looked very good in camp. Is he at his best right now, both mentally and physically? He looked very strong in both his bouts last year coming back after losing the title in 2018.

JC: I think he really took a look at who was around him and where he was at in his career after the loss to Dogboe. He moved up in weight to featherweight and he feels very good and very strong at featherweight. He has looked very good in his last 2 fights and I think he is definitely going to be fighting for a world title this year. I think he is ready, and I think that is Frank’s (manger Espinoza) plan for him. Jessie is in his prime right now at age 28. He works very hard in the gym and he is focused on putting himself in a position to fight for a world title again and he will be ready when he gets the call; he will become a two-time champion.

BT: Do you know much about his opponent Sakaria Lukas?

JC: He is undefeated, he is 23-0, with 16 KO’s, and he will be strong and tough and will have a lot of heart. African fighters bring that to fights along with their other skills. Jessie knows it will be a tough opponent, but he is ready and in very good shape and is looking forward to putting in a good performance and showing the other champions he is ready for a world title.

BT: Top Rank has a great featherweight champion in undefeated Shakur Stevenson. Is that a possible bout with them both being Top Rank fighters?

JC: Yes, Shakur is a great champion and that would be a very good fight. Jessie really doesn’t have any one fighter that he is targeting, he really would welcome a fight with any of the champions. He just wants to fight for the title and look to become a 2-time world champion.

BT: You have your own gym now? It looks great and you look like you have a good group of kids working out there as well.

JC: I was working at, and working with, fighters at the Top Rank Gym for a long time. But, I was thinking that it might be a good time to open my own gym. I went and spoke to my bosses at Top Rank and they gave me their blessing to open up my own gym. It’s been about a year now and it is going very well. If there is a fighter that is working out of the Top Rank Gym and I need to work with them there I can do that or work out at my gym. It works very well, and the gym is busy and it is going well; I am blessed.

BT: You look like you have a very enthusiastic group of amateurs there. That is great to see. You seem to really enjoy working with the amateurs as well.

JC: You Know Bill, working with the amateurs brings you a different kind of satisfaction. It is so great to see the kids working hard, having fun, feeling good about themselves, getting into shape and working and being part of something positive. With the pro’s it is different – it’s about money, it is a job, looking at the next big bout. I, of course, love working with the pro’s, but working with the kids brings a different kind of satisfaction. It is different, the joy you get from seeing the kids having fun and feeling good about themselves, it is just great. We’ve had the gym for about a year now and I am just thankful to God and feeling blessed to be able to do what I am doing. I thank God for putting me in a position to be able to work with the different fighters. I just keep reminding myself to remain humble and thankful to God because in boxing you can be on top one minute and on the bottom the next. So, every day I try to remain grateful and work hard.

BT: Speaking of the amateur fighters, I’ve been watching the posts of your son, Dylan. Man, he looks like he’s gonna be the next big thing – that young man can fight!

JC: (Laughs). Uh, thank you Bill for you to say that. My son, he’s been around boxing his whole life. He grew up in the gym. Years ago my wife was working and he was very little and I had to take him to the gym with me. He has been around all the big fighters who would workout at the Top Rank Gym - you name it Pacquiao, Linares, all of them (laughs). But, I just thank God for my sons, and yes, he works very hard and he is doing well. He is ranked # 2 in the country.

BT: Tell him I’m impressed and I’m a fan. When he turns pro, can I get the first interview?

JC: (Laughs). He will be happy when I tell him that. Of course, he would be happy to talk to you anytime. Yes, you get the first one (laughs).

BT: Always great chatting Jorge. Best of luck in New York and we’ll talk again soon.

JC: Thank you Bill. Yes, of course, anytime my friend.