Jose Valenzuela had heroes he appeared as much as whereas he was rising up.
The irony is a type of heroes might be the important thing to successful a world title belt, and placing an exclamation level on overcoming private points outdoors the ring.
Valenzuela will problem Isaac Cruz for the WBA junior welterweight title Saturday night time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. The 12-round bout will precede the principle occasion bout between Ring welterweight champion Terence Crawford in opposition to WBA world junior middleweight titleholder Israil Madrimov.
Each fights will stream dwell on a number of platforms, together with PPV.com and DAZNBoxing PPV (4 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. PT).
The southpaw Valenzuela (13-2, 9 knockouts), who’s initially from the boxing hotbed of Los Mochis, Mexico and now resides in Renton, Washington, started working with coach Robert Garcia earlier this yr after beforehand working with Jose Benavidez. Valenzuela has educated out of the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, California for the final a number of months, together with for his final combat, which was a knockout win over Chris Colbert on December 16.
Valenzuela has seen a major enchancment in working with Garcia, and sparring a few of boxing’s present prime fighters.
“It’s an honor to be right here,” Valenzuela advised The Ring after a current exercise at Garcia’s gymnasium in Riverside. “I used to observe Robert quite a bit once I was little. I used to have footage and posters of him and the world champions he educated. (Fighters like) Nonito Donaire, (Brandon) ‘Bam Bam’ Rios, Mikey Garcia. It’s loopy that now I’ve the chance to make it on his wall (of champions). Him being a legendary coach, teaming up with my group is a dream come true. I really feel superb and blessed to be right here.
“(I’ve seen enhancements in) my fundamentals, my ft, my palms, all put collectively, Simply expertise general. Little issues possibly. Not being so reckless. Being extra exact. Distance, additionally. I say these are the principle keys.”
The knockout win over Colbert was a rematch of their earlier combat on March 25 of final yr, when Colbert overcame a knockdown to win a razor-thin unanimous choice.
Valenzuela additionally wanted to have surgical procedure two weeks earlier than the primary Colbert combat after going by way of an unspecified incident, which he says prevented him from being at 100%. Previous to the loss to Colbert, Valenzuela was knocked down a number of instances en path to a knockout loss to Edwin De Los Santos.
José Valenzuela (proper) stops Chris Colbert (left) – Photograph by Amanda Westcott/Showtime
Coupled with current losses, Valenzuela had private points he was coping with and was hanging round with the unsuitable crowd. After transferring on and nixing his affiliation with these folks, Valenzuela believes he’s now 100% mentally prepared. Valenzuela additionally felt a way of aid and satisfaction after the win over Colbert within the rematch.
“(The win) meant all the things to me in the meanwhile as a result of I used to be coming off a troublesome loss with Edwin De Los Santos,” mentioned Valenzuela, who goes by the nickname ‘Rayo’ or lightning in Spanish. “I didn’t have a very good mentality (going into the combat). I used to be being immature. I wasn’t round folks I wanted to be round. I may’ve misplaced all the things. To coach actually onerous my entire camp, after which have an accident ultimately, need to get surgical procedure, barely make it to the combat, fought my coronary heart out and to get robbed. I used to be given one other alternative, so I educated like by no means earlier than. I made the choice to return right here, and it paid off. It meant all the things to me in the meanwhile. This combat means all the things to me now.
“It was extra outdoors of the ring. It wasn’t a lot (inside it). I didn’t actually put together. I wasn’t targeted. I wasn’t round (the) proper folks. Additionally, (De Los Santos) was a final minute alternative. I didn’t care to examine who he was. My head was excessive. I discovered quite a bit outdoors the ring. I believe it was an excellent expertise (for me). It made me a greater particular person general.”
Valenzuela will face a fighter in Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs), who gained the WBA title by stopping Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romer in spherical 8 of his final bout on March 30. Cruz, who resides in Mexico Metropolis, has gained his final 4 fights since a detailed choice loss to Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in December 2021.
Regardless of taking a major step up in opposition in opposition to Cruz, Valenzuela is assured he has the improved skill-set and preparation to tug off the upset win and seize the title Saturday night time.
“I believe I’ve much more benefits (than Cruz),” mentioned Valenzuela. “I’ve pace. I’ve energy. I’ve footwork, ring generalship, (and) peak. I acquired to go in there that night time (being) disciplined and utilizing it.
“We all know what he’s going to do. There’s no secret. He’s not going to alter it up. He is aware of what he does. We all know what he does. He’s not a loopy thriller field that we’ve to determine. It’s simply being ready for his type and we’re extraordinarily ready. I simply acquired performed sparring 12 rounds (with) three completely different fighters (on July 19). I carried my conditioning right through. I carried my energy right through. I’m in nice form and I’m able to shock the world.”
Having overcome the obstacles he has encountered, and private points when he was youthful, Valenzuela believes the icing on the cake can be to win the world title belt.
“It might imply all the things to me. That is simply larger than these previous couple of issues I’ve been going by way of these previous couple of fights. This implies going again to once I began, my mother and father struggled quite a bit to get me right here. I used to return house to (them) receiving eviction letters, going to get presents on the meals financial institution, seeing the ache (in my mother and father) and virtually shedding all of it as a result of I used to be distracted.
“I’m hungrier than ever. And Pitbull is a good fighter. I wouldn’t desire a title shot in opposition to anybody else as a result of ‘Pitbull’ (Cruz) will carry the perfect out of me.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has coated boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He will be reached at [email protected]
