Miami-based Richard Dobal, co-promoter of streaking super featherweight prospect
Rances “Kid Blast” Barthelemy (16-0, 11 KOs), says despite his fighter’s increasing
profile and popularity, he is not taking anything for granted heading into Saturday’s
fight.
Miami via Cuba’s Barthelemy will take on Guadalajara, Mexico’s Alejandro “Soma”
Rodriguez (14-6, 7 KOs) in the co-feature of Warriors Boxing Promotions’ August
18 boxing event entitled “Miami Warfare II” at the MACC at the Doubletree Hotel
in Miami, Florida, and broadcast live on Telefutura’s Solo Boxeo Tecate.
In the night’s junior welterweight main event, Colombian slugger Breidis Prescott
(25-4, 18 KOs) will face colorful New Yorker Francisco “Gato” Figueroa (20-4-1,
13 KOs).
Dobal knows a blue-chip prospect when he sees one. The Miami native has been in
boxing for over 25 years. Before becoming a promoter, Dobal served as a fighter,
a trainer, and a manager. He’s run training camps for world champions and done
public relations and matchmaking as well. He started Richard Dobal Productions in
2004 and changed the name to Bad Dog Productions in 2006.
Bad Dog currently promotes or co-promotes undefeated Cuban featherweight and 2004
Olympian Luis Franco, Barthelemy, #9 middleweight Jose Miguel Torres, and recent
world title challenger Eromosele Albert.
What do you know about Rances’ upcoming opponent, Soma Rodriguez?
He’s a tough guy coming in from Mexico and he’s not a last-minute replacement. He’s
had two months to prepare. I’m sure this guy is coming to fight; and I’m sure he’s
coming here to win. He’s gone the distance and beaten who he’s supposed to. It’s
a good test. Rances is #6 in the world. These are the fights that he needs in order
to go to the next level.
How do you feel about Rances’ progress thus far in his career?
It’s been a little frustrating because it seems that every time you’re dealing with
Cuban fighters, when the subject of their amateur background comes up, everybody
backs off. We have a lot of difficulty getting opponents for Rances because he
is often mistaken for his brother, who won a gold medal. Guys do their research
and back out. Even still, we’ve moved him at a good pace. He’s got 16 fights so
far. We’re satisfied. He’s fought all over the place. He knows how to fight in somebody
else’s backyard. Give credit to Chico Rivas, our matchmaker. He’s given us as many
different looks as we could possibly get. Rances has been in with movers, boxers,
southpaws, brawlers. He’s had a taste of everything.
How do you feel about his development as a fighter?
I think he’s a little ahead of where we pictured him at this stage. You have to
credit his managers, who made the investment to send him to live in Vegas because
of the lack of quality sparring in Miami. A big part of the plan was to have him
training with Miguel Diaz who has trained so many world champions. We felt that
was crucial and it has been. He’s gotten great training from Miguel.
How did you come to sign Rances?
We signed Luis Franco and just a week into having him, he says ‘I have a friend
I know from Cuba. He’s not an Olympian, but he was in the Cuban program. His brother
is a former Olympic gold medallist. I’d like you to take a look. We said ‘ok we’ll
look at him.’
Sure enough, he brought us a diamond in the rough. He’s 5′ 11″ and punches with
both hands. He’s also fast and he can box. He had ample amateur experience both
in Cuba and here in the US.
When Luis brought us this kid, our jaws dropped. He’s like a miniature Tommy Hearns.
That’s what we both thought immediately. So, we signed him and partnered up with
Leon (Margules of Warriors Boxing) and we’re very happy. It’s been a great partnership
so far that will hopefully lead to bigger and better things.
Rances is a guy who has the height, length and youth on his side, he could conceivably
be a champion in three divisions. This kid is a freak of nature physically. He makes
130 no problem. He’s strong as an ox. He has to spar with kids much bigger than
himself. He looks up to other big little guys like Diego Corrales and Tommy Hearns
and patterns his game after them.
You took a gamble by taking on another undefeated fighter in Hylon Williams on national TV and it paid off impressively (Barthelemy won via unanimous decision). Tell me about that decision.
It was a calculated gamble, but we were confident and ready for the challenge. They
both had identical records. They both had big amateur records, and both had blazing
speed, but we felt the size difference was the one overwhelming advantage and we
were right. That’s the same advantage we’ll have with anybody at 130 lbs. I doubt
anyone will match Rances in size. Darryl Peoples, The President of the IBF, saw
him fight in Quebec made the comment that the kid is a ‘monster.’ Darryl is right.
I have never seen a guy so big at 130 lbs.
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Also scheduled for action that night will be a host of local and international
prospects
and contenders including super middleweight Roberto J. Acevedo 5-0 (3 KOs) of Bayamón,
Puerto Rico, in a four-rounder vs. TBA; light heavyweight bomber Vilier Quinonez
3-0 (2 KOs) of Cienfuegos, Cuba, who will fight a six-rounder vs. TBA; undefeated
light heavyweight Yunieski Gonzalez (8-0, 5 KOs) of Havana, Cuba, who will fight
a six-rounder vs. TBA; and middleweight Leosvy Mayedo (2-0, 2 KOs) of Miami, who
will fight a four-rounder vs. TBA.
Tickets are priced at $75 ringside/$30 general admission. A limited number of VIP
tables are also available. Please call (954) 985-1155 or (786) 553-3895 to purchase
tickets.
On fight night, doors open 6:30 and the action starts 7:30. The MACC at the Doubletree
Hotel is located at 711 NW 72nd Avenue in Miami.
