Rising
bantamweight Leo Santa Cruz kicks off his 2012 campaign in Ensenada, Mexico
against Alejandro Hernandez. 2011 was a productive year for “Teremoto” who
notched four stoppages in as many outings, becoming a bona fide prospect as he
steadily improved throughout the year. From a tall, awkward, gangly kid, Santa
Cruz seemed to grow into his body and gain his “man strength.” At age 23, he now
seems poised to make a run on the world-class level.
“I
feel myself improving. I've been putting my punches a little stronger and I've
been improving on a lot of stuff that my dad's been teaching me like the body
shot,” he said last week before his day’s work at the Maywood Boxing Club
began. “I've been improving on it and I've been putting together some other
punches.”
Santa
Cruz is your classic volume puncher who consistently chops wood on the inside
with a two-fisted attack. When asked if his recent surge of KOs is due to fully
adjusting to boxing on the pro level or getting stronger physically, he
answered, “I think it's both. I've been growing into my body and I've been
getting used to the pro game and I've been getting more experience and stuff.”
Perhaps
he’s really a testament to good ol' fashioned hard work. It's not unusual for
Santa Cruz, whose brothers also fought professionally, to be back in the gym
just a few days after fighting. “My dad says, ‘You always have to be ready,
even if you're not training hard. You have to be in the gym maintaining your
shape,’ because you never know when you can have an opportunity. They can call
you and you have to be ready for anything.’”
Santa
Cruz’s style is very dependent on being in the type of condition where he can
steadily pressure for 36 hard minutes. It's something that's drilled into him
at the gym. He says, “It comes to my mind and my dad tells me, ‘Just imagine
that you've been training here more and your opponent’s not going to be doing
the same because you've been in the gym and everything.’ My dad put that into
my mind.”
His
manager, Cameron Dunkin, says, “He lives in the gym and I have to slow him down
and I have to watch his sparring and telling his father to back off because
they're constantly going. Look, he's anxious. He wants to fight for a title
now, which is what you want to see from a kid. But I'd like to see him get a
little more experience and then I think he's going to be a great, great
champion.”
The
goal is to have Santa Cruz knocking on the door of a title shot by the end of ‘12.
“It's
going to be a step-up [year] and he's developing very nicely,” said Golden Boy
Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez. “I think he's going to be fighting for a
world title. I mean, he's that good. I think that he's learning a lot. We've
kept him busy and one of the things with him is that in the past, he wasn't
really kept busy. And right now, we've been keeping him busy and he keeps
getting better each time out. He keeps improving. He's been looking great. I
think that he's the type of fighter that you keep him busy and he can do some
great things.”
If
everything goes well this weekend, expect Santa Cruz back in March.
“I'm
really taking a hands-on role with Leo,” said Gomez, who has always been high
on the young bantamweight, “and I really like him. He's a good kid. I like his
style. I think he's very exciting and I want him to be a world champion by the
end of the year. So there's going to be some openings there and there's going
to be some possibilities to fight for titles.” Santa Cruz has been a staple of
the Golden Boy shows in Mexico, televised on Televisa and streamed online in
the States at www.att.net/boxeo.
The hope is that he'll be showcased on bigger shows back in the States. “I'd
really like to see him in some fights here in California, Nevada, and start
exposing him to America a lot more,” said Dunkin.
Meanwhile,
he'll be where he usually is, doing what he does- in the gym. He simply knows
no other way. It's not just what Santa Cruz does; it's who he is. He's tried to
take time off; it just doesn't sit right with him.
“I've
done that. I want to take more days off but then, I don't feel right,” says the
23-year old, who has a record of 18-0-1 (10). “I feel like I'm not doing good
or they're going to call me and I'm not going to be ready. So that comes to
mind.”
PAVLIK
Yes,
the eagle has landed. Well, at least Kelly Pavlik has in Oxnard to rebuild his
career on the West Coast under the tutelage of Robert Garcia.
“He's
doing really great,” said Dunkin, who manages “The Ghost.” “I mean, he's
already at 173.”
As
for Pavlik’s projected return to the ring, “He wants to fight sometime in late
March and when I talked to Top Rank, they were talking late March, early April.
So it's not going to be that long; it's going to be soon.”
CONFERENCE
CHAMPIONSHIP FLURRIES
So
Floyd Mayweather told Manny Pacquiao that they can't do a 50/50 split?! Uh-oh, there we go...The online telecast
of Santa Cruz's fight ( also featuring Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Omar Estrella)
begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT...“Fight Night” on NBC Sports Network
begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT...“Solo Boxeo” on Telefutura airs at 11 p.m.
ET/PT with a main event of David Quijano-Javier Gallo as the main event...So
the Rams will play one game a year in London starting next season? I'm sure
that thrills the players and coaches. And what did the UK do to deserve
that?...I like the Giants and Patriots to meet in the Super Bowl…If you missed
it, you can check our “Pacquiao-Mayweather-free” edition of Maxboxing Radio (with
a preview of the NBC Sports Network broadcast) with Corey Erdman and Yours
Truly right here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maxboxingradio/2012/01/19/ramos-rignondeauxnbc-fight-night-preview...
..
