I think Justice Potter Stewart said it best when he said “I can’t define it, but I know it when I see it.” Now, I’m using the quote out of its original context and yet it still makes perfect sense for the subject matter at hand. Because when I see Daquan Arnett fight I know that even with a mere 7 fights into his professional career there is something special about his abilities and style, even if I can’t quite put my finger on it. I’ve only seen him fight live once and a couple more times via television/internet, but there is something about his skillset and the way he applies it against his opponent. His uniqueness however, isn’t limited to his in ring capabilities.
Arnett fights this Saturday in Puerto Rico against Deashon Johnson from California in a scheduled 6 rounder — the fight is contracted at 153lbs. Daquan, only 19 years old, is very mature for his age. He is trained by his father Gene Pauldo; however Daquan’s younger brother Justin Pauldo — a skilled fighter still in the amateurs — helps with training Daquan ever since Gene’s open heart surgery.
Arnett’s age and professional boxing experience have no bearing on the opportunities he’s come across early in his career, which isn’t completely unbelievable being that he’s signed with Al Haymon. After only 6 professional fights, Arnett found himself on the televised portion of Showtime Extreme’s prelims from the Lucas Matthysse-Ajose Olusegun card. In that fight Arnett racked up his 7th career win in an impressive fashion by stopping Jesus Tavera in the 4th round of their scheduled 6rounder — giving him 5 career knockouts. Arnett seems like these performances are just like another day at the office for him, but explains that he’s happy with his career thus far.
“It’s a blessing, I understand that not everybody gets these types of opportunities [so early in their career] and understand I’ve worked very hard for the things that have happened and will happen. It’s something that only echoes the intensity I have for the sport,” Arnett said in an interview with Thaboxingvoice.com.
Those opportunities will only grow with Haymon pulling the strings. The Watson family has kept close ties with Arnett ever since he was 15 years old and he saw early on the benefits of being associated with Team Haymon.
“I grew up in the Andre Berto camp and I’ve always been a part of that camp and I spent time with Sam, Brandon, and Marcus as an amateur. They were looking at me when I was an amateur, but at the time I was perusing an amateur career. We always had that understanding that they were interested in me and I was interested in doing business with them because I was a part of the Berto camp and I saw how they did business with him and it was appealing to me.”
Arnett had over 200 amateur fights according to his father Gene. Daquan turned pro last year and opted out of the amateurs for what he said was a personal inclination to the pros.
“I felt like pursing an Olympic career in the amateurs wouldn’t really make more of what I am as a boxer or what I would do as a professional. I felt like I had a professional style and I believe that’s more of a personal satisfaction. With me, I felt like I was ready for the professionals and the Olympics weren’t a part of my personal plan as a boxer.”
Daquan fought around 165 in the amateurs and as a pro he’s spent most of his time around junior middleweight, but he says he is slowly making his way to 147.
My feeling on Arnett as it pertains to his in ring performances has some correlation to the way I felt about Mike Tyson. Calm down, I’m not suggesting that Arnett fights like Tyson. Instead, I’m suggesting that Arnett can be a 1-man show in the ring, and much like Tyson early on, it doesn’t matter who is standing opposite of him. Arnett has a really strong philosophy when it comes to performing on fight night.
“I understand that boxing is more than being in the ring and throwing punches, you have to be an entertainer and give entertaining fights otherwise you’re going to be just a regular fighter. No one wants to see boring fights and fans come to see knockouts, fans come to see blood, sweat and tears. They want to be entertained and I understand that’s my position when I’m in the ring.”
Initially it was Arnett’s physical abilities that impressed me, but after speaking with him I’m much more impressed with the person he is. Daquan made it apparent that his upbringing had much to do with his demeanor and that his father has played a very big role in turning him into the man he is, not to mention his fighting ability. Even with only a handful of fights, Arnett is one of the most professional ready fighters I’ve ever seen.
“It all started with my father, he got us in boxing when we were 2 or 3 years old. That was his main thing, to see us create a better life for ourselves — me and my younger brother. He didn’t want to see us in the neighborhood getting beat up being that we grew up in a rough environment.”
If you have ever seen Daquan in action then I’m sure two things became obvious: 1) he’s one hell of a fighter and 2) he’s from Orlando. Daquan reps Orlando to the fullest and it made me curious as to where his pride for Orlando stems from.
“Coming from Orlando, we have very little to look up to and we have very few opportunities. I feel like I can be an example of what can come out of an environment such as Orlando — not the Orlando that you see in commercials — but from the ghettos of Westside Orlando where I come from. We have very few role models coming where I’m from. I want to be that role model I didn’t have as a kid growing up,” Arnett said.
We’ve seen many young fighters with the kind of talent Arnett displays, but it usually comes with a flamboyant type of mannerisms; names like Adrian Broner and Floyd Mayweather come to mind. However, that isn’t Arnett. He learned to mature at a young age and attributes that maturity to the life lessons taught by boxing. In a sense, you could say that Arnett isn’t a product of his environment because he learned to curve the negativity associated with his surroundings from a personal standpoint by learning from the mistakes of others.
“It comes from boxing because I grew up around older individuals. I grew up in an environment where I saw a lot of people make mistakes and I learned from other peoples’ mistakes. I learned that I didn’t have to make the same mistakes other people did just to learn the lesson.
“I always looked up to the older fighters in boxing because they have the knowledge and I have older parents and that has a lot to do with it. I believe in listening more than you talk,” Arnett said.
I doubt many 19 year olds feel that listening is more important than talking, but Daquan isn’t most 19 year olds. I think that his father raised him in such a way that it has benefited his in ring performance. More importantly Daquan’s father has raised the kind of human being capable of staying dedicated through the good and bad times.
Gene is more than capable of guiding his son’s career from both a boxing standpoint and personal standpoint. Gene was incarcerated early in his life, but those mistakes have fueled his pursuit in making sure his children make better decisions. Gene spoke with Thaboxingovice.com at great lengths on the subject.
“I’ve been around boxing for 41 years; I took up boxing when I was 15 years old. I ended up getting in some trouble in my younger days. I always studied pro style boxing. I always had a great passion for the game,” Pauldo said.
It seems that God had been breading Daquan’s abilities before he was even born. I think it is no coincidence that Gene spent little time learning the amateur system and became more proficient with the professional style of boxing; that is why Daquan was such a ready professional and that is why his style is so entertaining. Gene has a very specific idea for how he will progress Daquan’s career. He explained that as Daquan’s father he has a better idea of when his son will be ready to move along in boxing.
“I was thinking about moving him up to 8 round fights, but I’m not going to do it. I’m going to keep him at 6 rounds for 3-4 more fights because I see that he’s still got a lot of development to be done outside the ring, not just inside the ring. Those are the things I look for.
“What I’m looking at is him losing focus and concentration. I give him a set of things to do and if he procrastinates or doesn’t do them at all then I know he’s not ready for [the next step],” Pauldo said.
Daquan is very fortunate to have the kind of father dedicated to his sons, but also the kind of father with the knowledge of life and the ability to be an example of what to do and not to do. I think that Daquan is one of the best prospects in boxing, but I don’t just mean as it pertains to boxing. Don’t get me wrong, I think Daquan has what it takes to be a world champ one day, but I think more importantly Daquan is the kind of human being that will succeed in whatever he pursuits, boxing or otherwise.
If Daquan wanted to quit boxing tomorrow and embark on another career path I have no reservations that he will find a way to flourish. Daquan is made of the kind of wholesome qualities in an individual that make him a prospect of life. His father Gene is defined by his past, but not because being a prisoner makes you one for life. It’s because Gene was able to rectify his mistakes and his life is a prime example that men in the same position can have a chance in life.
You always hear of urban youth being victims of their neighborhoods and of absent fathers who never taught their children the ways of the world. Well Daquan is no victim and he has his father to thank for that. Their relationship is one to be envied and Daquan’s father has given him the kind of morals that will resonate throughout his career.
