By Rich Mancuso
They are calling the boxing card “Road to Glory” Saturday night at the MGM Grand Celebrity Room at Foxwoods Connecticut, an HBO “Boxing after Dark” telecast. And it may be glorious and successful for the undefeated super middleweight prospect, 13-0, Jason Escalera of Union City, New Jersey.
Escalera is what you classify as one of those fighters that is, on his way to a success story. The local kid, inquisitive, walks in the gym, and a few days later the trainer begins to do the work on this path to glory. All but one of those wins have come by knockout.
“He was a very shy kid when he first came in the gym and had no confidence in himself but when he started knocking people out he got that confidence,” says Joe Botti of the union City Boxing gym in Union, and trainer of Escalera.
His knockouts were good enough for HBO to grant Escalera the biggest fight of his young career. It won’t be easy opposing undefeated super middleweight champion Edwin Rodriquez, (21-0, 14KO’s) who also has a good punch and can jab with the best.
Rodriquez, in the past year, was able to change his style and use the left hook to perfection under new trainer Ronnie Shields. He enjoys fighting close to home and his career has picked up significantly since signing with promoter Lou DiBella.
A relatively unknown fighter, Escalera knows Saturday night, before a world -wide television audience, that he will be watched. He defeats the undefeated USBA champion and that means more lucrative fights, and at the early stages of his career a possible top-10 ranking with the major boxing sanctioning organizations.
“I feel great and excited about this fight,” commented Escalera, the 27-year old meat packer supervisor at a supermarket in nearby in Union. It’s a long day, and a 40-hour week but he finds time to get in the training.
“I’m still in shock and little nervous that all this is happening but I don’t think it will be easy for him to knock me out.”
He respects Rodriguez as a fighter and the fight was possible when his promoter, Joe DeGuardia, of Star Boxing and DiBella came to an agreement.
He throws a jab real well and is strong. “I give those props to my trainer Joe Botti,” he said earlier this week after the customary media training session at the new Mendez Boxing gym in Manhattan.
“I am that ready. I have been waiting for this opportunity. I don’t think so,” responding with confidence about those who doubt his ability with thirteen fights. “I have been in the ring with a lot of sparring partners that know Edwin Rodriguez and said my jab was good enough to beat Edwin Rodriguez.”
He gives that response because there are those that are skeptical he can’t defeat Rodriguez, a hometown favorite of Worcester Massachusetts. And he is a natural middleweight fighting at 166, however the belief is that super middleweight fits him well.
To his credit, Escalera is an example of why the sport of boxing deserves more attention. Because he walked in the gym one day, was provided an opportunity, and like many in the past he could be crowned a champion.
And with his Latino heritage, born in New Jersey with some relatives and friends in Puerto Rico, he may join the long list of prominent champions of the past and present of Latino descent. His dad is with him in Union, and a cousin fought in the reality series “The Contender” who he has never met.
“They will be watching me now that I am here,” he says.
The shy kid with an afro who came in the gym and kept his head down has arrived. “Definitely, yes,” he says about the boxing world taking notice about what he will do Saturday night on HBO.
COTTO SET FOR TROUT: Miguel Cotto says he will be happy to be home, Madison Square Garden on December 1 taking on Austin Trout for the opportunity to take another title, this time at 154.
The Garden, in New York City has been his Mecca, undefeated there in nine fights. “There is something unique in the atmosphere,” he said earlier this week at a press conference in New York City at the El Musio del Barrio. Cotto, the four-time and three-division champion is in the promotional business and the site of the press conference was a vehicle to display his Latino heritage.
It could be a trap fight for Cotto, as there is constant discussion that two fights may be left in a career that will easily get him enshrined in the Pro Boxing Hall of fame. However, as Cotto says, there is still a lot more to do, though he and his family are financially secure.
Another fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. was all rumor and talk, as Floyd has other ambitions and that could be his inevitable clash with Manny Pacquiao. And, as we know, Pacquiao signed to fight Juan Manuel Marquez a fourth time on HBO Pay-Per-View from Las Vegas on December 8th, so Cotto had other options.
He chose Trout, a 27-year old southpaw from New Mexico. “He will be a challenge for me but I will win my fifth world championship,” says Cotto. He always has an advantage at the Garden. A sell-out crowd is expected and that gives him extra motivation.
Cotto has been able to adjust to the southpaw style of an opponent, and the 31-year old champion with a record of 37-3 shows no signs of declining skills and the Mayweather fight, where he lost by unanimous decision, showed no signs of a finished fighter though, Mayweather gave him a pounding.
But with four titles to his credit, a vindication win over Antonio Margarito, and fights with the top two pound-for-pounders in Mayweather and Pacquiao, what is left to prove?
He is becoming a successful promoter since leaving Bob Arum and Top Rank, and going past 154, or dropping down in weight does not seem to be in the future.
Maybe, the young Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez could be next? Showtime would like to see that at the Garden or in Las Vegas, but Cotto says, “I don’t know. I am just thinking of December 1.”
THROWING THE PUNCHES: Yes it is true, Mayweather and Pacquiao is under discussion. Bob Arum is receptive to “50-cent” involvement and he realizes that Pacquiao will eventually go on his own. Added to the equation is Pacquiao willing to give in to that split that would provide him less revenue coming from what is supposed to be the mega-fight of fights.
However, once again, boxing fans will not believe anything when it comes to Pacquiao and Mayweather meeting until the contract is signed, sealed and delivered. And a source said, Pacquaio gave Arum the ultimatum that they must fight to secure his legacy as the best pound-for-pound fighter.
But, talking to boxing fans, as much as they want to see the fight, they seem skeptical and have lost interest. To that, Arum, Pacquiao, and Mayweather should not worry. The only thing that would put an end to the showdown is if Juan Manuel Marquez finally defeats Pacquiao in Las Vegas on December 8th….
COMING OUT SMOKING: Sergio Martinez does not have a career ending injury to his leg that would interfere with a possible return bout with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. for the middleweight title. Chavez, on the other hand, will be on the sidelines as he was tested positive for smoking marijuana.
Which leads to the question? How was Chavez able to get in the ring last week and defend the WBC middleweight title against Martinez? With supposed drug testing by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that detected the problem with a urine sample after the fight, there has to be a better system for detection before a major title fight.
Or, the promoters, Top Rank and Lou DiBella were aware? The quote from Arum makes it suspicious and does not help the sport:
“Big deal, I smoked marijuana so has every promoter in this business.” As a boxing enthusiast that is not what you want to here. As for Martinez, forget about Mayweather and maybe turn the attention to Alvarez…
*e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com Facebook.com/Keep it in the Ring and watch and listen to Keep it in the Ring w/Rich&Jason Thursday evenings live from 10:30pm-12:30am ET. www.inthemixxradiocom
