 |
|
Photo © Ric Solivan
|
With some fighters it extends to more than just winning and losing. Some guys seem to carry their entire life story with them whenever they step into the ring and you get the sense that they are fighting for more than just the belts and money. For Puerto Rican born Edgar ‘El Chamaco’ Santana, he has said that fighting is about ‘Pride, family, and country’ and in talking to him you can tell those words ring true.
Santana is a passionate man with a great appreciation for the sport of boxing. His next fight is this Thursday night, December 15th, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York as he takes part in another edition of Broadway Boxing, promoted by Lou DiBella. Santana, now living and fighting out of New York, has plans of getting to the top and will be looking to close the year out in grand fashion December 15th.
I was able to catch up with Santana to get his thoughts on his upcoming fight, his love of Puerto Rico, training at Gleason’s gym, and how boxing has been a blessing to his life.
December 15th…
‘I’m definitely excited for December 15th. I’ve been in training camp and I’ve been working hard. I’m pretty comfortable at the Hammerstein Ballroom and a lot of my recent fights have been there.
Hometown support…
‘I definitely love fighting in my hometown. Every time I fight is a big event for me and there are always a lot of people who show up. Every time more and more people show up.
Pride, Family, and Country…
‘I’ve always said that I fight for pride, family, and my country. I have the pride of being a Puerto Rican fighter. I love being a part of that; it’s something special. I have a lot of love for the Puerto Rican fighters of the past. I’m also very close to my family. They always go to my fights and they support me 100% on everything I do.
A complete fighter…
‘Boxing came pretty naturally to me. I was a pretty natural fighter. I like the rush of getting into the ring and having people watch me fight. I like the rush and the feeling that fighting gives you. It’s just my thing. I think I’m definitely a pretty complete fighter. I can box when I have to, I can fight when I want to, and I can punch with both hands.
Living in New York…
‘Living in New York I get to see how much support I get. Not just from Puerto Ricans but everyone. Growing up in Spanish Harlem I get support from everybody.
At home…
‘I go to Puerto Rico anytime I get the chance. I have a lot of family over there like my grandparents, uncles, cousins, and I just feel at home over there. Anytime I go there I feel like it’s my home. It’s a familiar place to me and the type of place I would love to go to when I retire.
Gleason’s…
‘I train at Gleason’s. Gleason’s is just so raw. It’s not your regular gym. It’s what you call a fighting gym. You walk in there and you see people sweating, sparring each other real hard, and people screaming. That’s what you call a real gym.
Getting to the top…
‘I didn’t come out of the Olympics and I didn’t have a great amateur background. For me, the only way to get known is to go into the ring and get my respect by knocking people out. For me, that’s my way of getting to the top. Just earn your respect and keep on winning.
Parents…
‘I definitely had a close relationship with my mother and my father. They always supported me through anything I did. My relationship with both of them is pretty close.
Family support…
‘Growing in Spanish Harlem there were always struggles and hard times. Coming to this country was pretty hard, especially when we didn’t have much. My family was always there for me. They always stuck by me and they helped me get through.
In camp with Felix ‘Tito’ Trinidad…
‘I had the opportunity to go to camp with Felix Trinidad when I was in Puerto Rico. It was around the time when he fought Fernando Vargas. I learned how hard it is. I saw up front how much dedication and hard work it took. His success didn’t come easy. You see it on TV and he makes it look so easy but it’s not like that at all. He’s a fighter that really works hard in the gym and he deserves everything that he’s worked for. That definitely taught me to work hard, stay disciplined, stay humble, and keep on doing what I'm doing. He’s the most known fighter that I feel close to.
A potential Zab Judah-Floyd Mayweather fight…
‘That’s definitely a fight to see. That’s a toss-up. I think Mayweather is more of a pro. I think sometimes Zab Judah can lose his head and he can go in there swinging wild; you never see that with Mayweather. Still, Zab Judah has everything else going for him. He has great skills, he’s fast, he can punch, and he’s a lefty. It’s definitely a toss-up.
The only one left…
‘I definitely feel that boxing has been a blessing. When I started boxing I went with seven of my friends to Mickey Rosario’s gym in Spanish Harlem. I remember he told us, that out of all seven of us that only one or two of us were going to make it. He said the rest would go into a life of drugs or end of getting killed. Looking back, I’m the only one left. Everybody else is either in jail or has gotten killed. Looking back it’s pretty crazy.
To the fans…
‘I just hope that the fans can come to support me. I thank everybody, all my fans, for their support.
*This Article is Sponsored by http://www.healthycoco.com/ |
|
|
|
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
|
INTERVIEW By Chris Robinson (December 15, 2005)
