Many thanks for allowing this interview to take place and to those who made this interview possible. It’s a great honour to be sitting with you discussing your career and your life here at your gym in East Los Angeles.
Ringnews24: You had an impressive career while fighting as an amateur, can you tell me more about your time in the unpaid ranks and where it all began?
I had about three hundred and fifty fights with many knockouts as a junior and senior levels that took me towards winning the Gold medal at the Nineteen Eighty Four Olympic Games in Los Angeles in the Light Flyweight division. I had a fabulous career fighting all over the world representing the United States of America. I defeated the Cuban who was going to represent Cuba in the Olympics and I also boxed the Nineteen Eighty Olympic Gold medal winner Shamil Sabirov from the former USSR in his home town, and I beat him also. When the Olympics arrived my feelings were I had nothing to prove as a number of nations did not compete but I had beat them already. I should not have fought in the games as I hurt my hand before the tournament but I went ahead with it anyway and went all the way through each fight with one hand injured.I began boxing when I was Five years old and when I was aged eight I trained at the police department as they had a boxing team. I remember this like it was yesterday and a police officer recommended that I go to the gym and train and start boxing for trophies after a mixed martial arts class when I impressed my mentor throwing punches. Boxing as an amateur is totally different from the professionals and a completely different world but it was great because you go out there and you fight. As a professional you fight less regular and can often train for three months before a contest while sometimes it can be called off at short notice.
Ringnews24: Would you consider winning the Olympic gold medal a stepping stone that took you into the professionals?
Yes, but I would like to rephrase that and say it was a fine opportunity to begin a professional career because winning the gold medal was putting me on top of the world and everybody is going to know you. Pardon the expression, but you can be anybody yet still get a title shot yet be a great fighter and not get anything. You can be an awesome fighter that beats everybody but nobody wants to fight you. You need to check your credentials and be with the right management team. Don King’s or Bob Arum’s of the world. When I turned professional my team were good, they had Tony the Tiger Lopez fighting out of the camp. I wanted to stay with an L.A based promoter so we could build up. I wanted to fight Charlie Magri but it didn’t happen and another fighter from the United Kingdom but I felt they were side stepping me for somebody else. When I was injured with my hand in a cast potential future opponents expressed more interest to fight me because I was hurt and more opportunities came along.
Ringnews24: What fighter would you say your style most resembles?
The way I pictured my style when fighting was reminiscent of the late great Nicaraguan, Alexis Arguello. I had the speed of the late great Sugar Ray Robinson and the movements of the great Muhammed Ali. The way I look at it I could punch and box.
Ringnews24: Who is your boxing idol?
Absolutely my boxing idol is Alexis Arguello. I even look like him. When I was in condition we looked like each other like father and son. That guy is my idol and I had the great pleasure to meet him many times. Alexis called me on my twenty first birthday to congratulate me. My idol calling me, now that was awesome!
Ringnews24: If you could choose a fight to happen, which boxers do you think it would be?
I would like to see Carlos Zarate against Alfonso Zamora again, both great fighters and an awesome fight. How about another fight between Muhammad Ali and the late great Joe Frazier or Sugar Ray Robinson against Tony Sibson. These are some great fights.
Ringnews24: Who would you say was your biggest influence in boxing?
My biggest influence was Alexis Arguello. I also liked Muhammad Ali. You heard the story float like a butterfly sting like a bee? They gave me the nickname the super fly because I’m the greatest of all mankind, you want to know what I mean just step in the ring and I will stop you in three.
Ringnews24: Who was your toughest opponent?
There have been many tough fighters who I have faced during my boxing career but the one I would like to talk about was a fighter from Dominique Republic Lucilo Nolasco he was a tough boxer and punched hard. He had more losses than wins but if you look at his record he shared the ring with a lot of tough fighters. The fight with Lucilo I learned a lot as I was hurt. I eventually won the fight by a unanimous verdict. I showed the will to win and the heart for the fight. My fight with Orlando Canizales needs mentioning as we boxed in Lake Tahoe in one hundred and twenty degrees heat and my feet were cooking and bleeding because of the heat. I believe Orlando wanted to quit in the tenth and eleventh rounds and I wanted to achieve a knockout. I won the fight by way of a unanimous decision and won the North American Federation Flyweight Championship. In our second fight for the International Boxing Federation Bantamweight Championship a few years later I was head-butted in the first round and the fight was stopped in the second. They would not allow my cut man to work on my injury. I feel the fight should have been a no contest. The fight was also in Texas where Canizales was based.
Ringnews24: If you could have a rematch with any of your opponents who would it be?
If it was possible I would like to fight again with Canizales for charity. Let’s do it, baby!
Ringnews24: Do you have any hobbies away from boxing?
I like martial arts and sports. I also enjoy going to concerts and watching boxing. I also enjoy traveling.
Ringnews24: What are you doing with yourself now you’re no longer boxing?
I supervise a boxing gym in East Los Angeles funded by the Recreational Department running boxing programmes. We had a kid who went on to represent the United States of America in the Beijing Olympics and his name was Shaun Estrada. I also have done a little acting.
Ringnews24: Do you have a message for your fans around the world?
Keep the spirit alive and never stop fighting.
