Los Angeles, California – It was just over 4 years ago that Dominic Breazeale was pursuing his dreams of playing in the NFL and leading his team to a championship. After going undrafted, Breazeale made the tough decision to swap his helmet and pads for head gear and leather gloves. It was a good decision for the star quarterback from the University of Northern Colorado as he moved back to California and started training as an amateur boxer with hopes of reaching the 2012 London Olympic Games.
After a standout amateur career in which he captured the 2011 California Golden Gloves title, won the 2012 USA Boxing National Championships and placed 2nd in the Americas qualifier, Dominic reached his dream of representing the United States in the Olympic Games. The United States Super Heavyweight showed heart and determination in his lone bout and came up short of a medal at the games.
Breazeale’s goal when jumping from the gridiron to the ring was to become America’s next Heavyweight Champion of the World. His journey to a world title will start on November 9, 2012 when he makes his professional debut on ShoBox, the New Generation at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California. Breazeale is excited to to turn professional and indicated that there are major differences between the amateur and pro ranks.
When asked about the transition, Breazeale stated that “the sport of boxing is Dominic Breazeale, Heavy Bag completely different when comes to the amateurs and pros. The amateur ranks is about scoring points on your opponent, whereas the pro ranks is more about imposing your will and hurting your opponent.”
Dominic’s pro career looks quite promising as he has surrounded himself with the best in the business, starting with his adviser. Breazeale chose to sign with one of boxing’s most influential figures, Mr. Al Haymon. On his feelings with signing with Mr. Haymon, Dominic noted that “I’m very happy and pleased to be working with Mr. Haymon as he is a very well known adviser and figure in boxing. I wouldn’t want to be working with anyone else.”
As for his corner, Breazeale is under the tutelage of world-renowned and California Boxing Hall of Fame trainer John Bray. Bray, an amateur standout and professional fighter himself, Dominic Breazeale, John Brayknows what it takes to be a great heavyweight. Bray was part of the training camps of some of the best heavyweight’s of this era, sparring with the likes of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
Bray was also mentored and trained by legendary trainer’s in Angelo Dundee, Lou Duva and George Benton. When Bray was asked about his young fighter he had the following to say, “I’ve been in this business for over thirty years and this is one of the most naturally talented kids I’ve seen. He is a work in progress and is very young to the game, but he shows a ton of heart and determination. His work ethic is unquestioned and I believe he will do big things in boxing. All of these attributes are key ingredients for becoming the Heavyweight Champion of the World .”
NEW YORK – Last Saturday night’s show-stealing, world title- winning performance on Showtime Championship Boxing was only the beginning for new World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (28-0, 20 KOs).
Quillin dropped defending champion and previously undefeated Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam (27-1, 17 KOs) six times en route to a spectacular 12-round triumph, receiving scores of 115-107 from all three judges.
Born in Chicago and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the charismatic Cuban-American returned to Brooklyn, where he once lived for four years, and became the first American-born fighter to be world middleweight champion since Kelly Pavlik lost to Sergio Martinez in 2010.
“It was great putting on a performance like that for the fans at Barclay Center,” said Quillin, who now lives in Manhattan but trains at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. “All my hard work paid off. It was a great show. People saying I stole the show, well, that’s a blessing. I proved that I can perform like that, given the chance, in a championship fight. I beat a world champion who had an undefeated, identical record as mine.”
Five of the six punches he decked N’Dam with were left hooks and Quillin finished strong by flooring his opponent twice in the final round. “I’ve always had a good left hook,” Quillin noted. “People may not have noticed it before, but it’s another tool in my tool box.
“I always have confidence in my skills and working with (strength-and-conditioning coach) Brad Bose and my nutritionist, Robert Garcia, conditioning was never my concern. I went 12 hard rounds and felt strong right to the end.”
Quillin is a throwback fighter in the sense that he’ll take on anybody put in the ring with him, provided Team Chocolate (Golden Boy Promotions, adviser Al Haymon, co-managers John Seip and Jim McDevitt and trainer Eric Brown) signs off. His next opponent could be a fellow world champion, former world title-holder, hot prospect, or top 10-ranked contender.
“It’s important to be surrounded by a group of people, like Team Chocolate, that believes in me and is always there to help,” added Quillin, who admits winning the world title hasn’t completely sunk in yet. “I trust my team to come-up with my best option. My job is to be ready for whatever happens and keep coming out victoriously. We’ll see how things play out. I’ll defend my title and come out of my next fight as a winner, just like I always have been. I’m not going to get big headed about this. I’m going to pick-up my work ethic even more and stay hungry.
“I have an X on my back now. Life has already started to change a little, but that comes with the territory as world champion. Now that I am world champion, I guess I need to re-evaluate my goals; I want to win more titles and become a household name.”
Capturing the WBO crown was only the beginning for “Kid Chocolate.”
The new acquisition of “Gary Shaw Productions”, power puncher, Javier “el Chino” Flores (7-0, 7 KOs), will be in action this Saturday, October 27th on the undercard at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York. Flores will face off against California’s Alberto Herrera (8-7-1, 5 KOs) in a non-televised bout scheduled for 8 rounds in the welterweight division.
“I have sacrificed myself like never before for this fight,” said Flores, born and raised in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and trains in New Haven, Connecticut. “To beat Herrera I will need to be well prepared.”
As an amateur boxer, Flores had a record of 65 victories with 38 coming by way of knockout, and only 3 defeats.
Flores, who is a southpaw, is confident in the results he has obtained with his new trainer John Scully.
“We have seen great improvement in my speed and punching power. I have felt more electric and confident in sparring, and we believe that after this great victory, the fans and Gary Shaw will be very pleased with my performance,” commented Flores.
Herrera has gone the distance with various undefeated prospects, and recently (June) lost in the seventh round against Thomas Dulorme (16-0, 12 KOs) when he was unwilling to come out of his corner (RTD).
Three featured bouts will be televised live on HBO BOXING AFTER DARK® beginning at 10:15 p.m. ET/PT.
In the 10-round main-event, undefeated Puerto Rican standout, Thomas Dulorme (16-0, 12 KOs) takes on heavy-handed Argentine, Luis Carlos Abregu (33-1, 27KO’s).
The co-feature will showcase San Francisco’s undefeated WBO/NABO Jr. Welterweight champion, Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (16-0-1, 10 KOs) vs. Southern California’s, Mauricio Herrera (18-2, 7 KOs).
A 12-round IBF lightweight championship bout between champion, Miguel Vazquez (31-3, 13 KOs) and No. 1 contender, Marvin Quintero (25-3, 21 KOs) will open up the broadcast.
Tickets for the October 27, HBO Boxing After Dark event range from $25 to $75 and are on sale at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office. Call (315) 361-7469 or visitwww.Ticketmaster.com. Doors open up at 6:30 p.m. and the undercard begins at 7:30 p.m EST with the HBO live national broadcast starting at 10:15 p.m. EST.
