Rocky Juarez has fought some of the who’s who in boxing. The names range from Juan Manuel Marquez, Antonio Barrera, Chris John, and Humberto Soto to name a few. Rocky was always playing the role of contender never grasping the pinnacle of being a world champion. The last time Rocky Juarez was victorious in the ring was in September of 2009 against Jonathan Barrios. Since then Juarez has suffered a draw and 6 consecutive defeats against Chris John, Jason Litzau, Jorge Linares, and Vicente Escobedo to name a few. Juarez returns October 27 in San Antonio Texas and a card promoted by Leija Battah Promotions and Golden Boy. One must wonder why. To Juarez the answer is simple.
“I’ve had some hardships in the ring having 6 defeats in a row. This is not how I want to end my career,” Juarez told ThaBoxingVoice.com.
Being on a long losing streak like this might weigh its toll on a fighter, especially when the fighter has come short on the biggest stage more than once. So one must wonder what is different with Juarez. He says, “The reason I have those defeats are because maybe it’s a mental thing. Now I’m having a mind frame like it’s my last fight and I won’t lose this fight. I’ll give it everything I have to get the win. Lack of preparation isn’t the issue. Maybe it was the short camps because I was taking fights on short notice. That’s what I learned from those defeats, to be in the gym prepared and have full camps for tough fights.”
A tough fight is what he may have on his hands on October 27th against hard hitting Antonio Escalante. Escalante scored a second round knockout on the first Leija Battah card in San Antonio on August 11th of this year. Juarez was supposed to be Escalante’s opponent that night but according to Juarez, the network carrying the fight Telefutura, didn’t approve Juarez as an opponent because of his last 6 fights. But now Juarez is ready to prove to the people of Texas that he’s ready to make a statement against Escalante.
“I’m more of a technical fighter, I’m not easy to hit on the inside and outside. Even if they’re better skilled, I adopted and made it tough for anyone I faced like Barrera, Marquez, and John. I’m ready for Escalante whether it’s to box or brawl but I have the straighter punches. Escalante has pop and comes to fight but is very hittable. So I’m sparring with guys that get hit and hit back. It’s going to be a great night of boxing in Texas on October 27. I’m taking it as if it’s a world title fight and I’ll show you it that night.”
Juarez vs. Escalante will take place in super featherweight division, a division that is wide open for both, and if either reel off a couple of decent win, a world title shot might not be too crazy to consider. Should he win, that is the ultimate goal for Juarez at 130 or even back down at 126. “I’ll fight whoever at 130 and 126 for a world title fight. If I win I’ll want any of those champions. I love to fight and I want to leave a name for myself in the game. I saw Daniel Ponce De Leon on the Canelo card and I thought if he can win a world title, why can’t I do it? Why can’t I fight him for a title? He’s a tough fighter and a southpaw. To beat a come forward fighter, you try and out skill him, if not I’ll swing for the fences against De Leon,” stated Juarez.
Juarez says he’s going into this fight as it’s his last and if he does, it might possibly be; but he wants to win because he doesn’t want to end his career on a 7 fight losing streak. “Should I lose to Antonio Escalante, it would be my last time in the ring; I’d probably hang the gloves up. I started at 23-0 and lost my first fight to Humberto Soto, and to this day I think, what happened in my career? I won only 5 of my last 15 fights. I just ask myself where I went wrong, so yes it’s definitely the possibility. But my mindset is to win, leave it all in the ring, and to get another chance at a world title to win it,” stated Juarez.
Juarez has been in the boxing world for so long and knows the hardships involved. He wants to be remembered as a guy who gave it his all win or lose but has stern warnings to all up and coming fighters. “My son gets is in the gym but I tell him Mijo, boxing isn’t what you want to do, boxing is tough, go to school be a doctor, it ain’t for everyone. What I tell fighters, invest you money, it comes quickly when you’re on top but leaves just as fast. You go from making six figures a fight, to making 3,000 a fight. Stay motivated, not to fight for the fame but fight for the passion.”
Should he leave the fight game after October 27th, he still wants to be involved with boxing. “Everything’s going to go my way that night but either way, when I go, I wouldn’t mind opening a gym. I’m the old man in the gym already; the kids respect me and listen to me. So that’s certainly a route I can take, but I’m not losing that night.”
For Full Audio of This Interview: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thaboxingvoiceradioshow/2012/09/27/rocky-juarez-and-gabriel-rosado
