If There Was No Boxing, There Would Be No Me Here Now

Published

12 years ago

March 14, 2013

When you attend a fight card with Wale Omotoso on the bill, you can expect to see Lucky Boy listed as the fighter’s name in your program. No, not his given name of Oyewale, or even the abbreviated Wale (pronounced Wall-ee). Instead, entering the ring that night will simply be a man named Lucky Boy Omotoso, and when the fighter disrobes before the opening bell, you’ll see it tattooed proudly across his chest in robustly round script.

Lucky Boy.

“I call myself Lucky Boy,” Omotoso told TSS, “because of what I’ve passed through, growing up in Africa, what I’ve seen, what I’ve faced in life…”

Omotoso has lived through more than most of us could ever imagine. He’s seen men and women butchered in the street. He’s tasted the cold bitterness of poverty in a developing country, and he’s carried the burden of hopelessness and the badge of pragmatic necessity that comes with it. For this, he calls himself lucky.

Omotoso has picked up six wins on American soil. At 23-0, the undefeated welterweight stands on the precipice of achieving things he dared not dream about oh-so-long-ago in Lagos. Not only will he be appearing on the co-feature of Saturday’s Timothy Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov fight card, but the bout, Omotoso’s biggest test yet against fellow undefeated Top Rank prospect Jessie Vargas (pictured above, on the left, with Omotoso, in photo by Chris Farina-Top Rank), will be televised live on HBO’s World Championship boxing.

Lucky Boy can tell you tales of his life as a “street boy” in Lagos, the most populous city in Nigeria. Almost eight million souls call this African port metropolis home. Truth be told, compared to other parts of Nigeria the standard of living in Lagos is quite high, so long as your family has the means to enjoy it. Omotoso’s family did not.

“I grew up in the street,” says the lucky one. “If there was no boxing, there would be no me here now.”

One of five children, Omotoso lost his mother at an early age. His father worked hard at providing what he could, but wasn’t able to keep his children away from the street life. Like his siblings, Omotoso said he did what he had to do. He joined a street gang. He learned to take what he could get from who he could get it. He was a gangster in the truest sense of the word.

Still, Omotoso said he never fully lost his grip on morality. He knew what was right and what was wrong. It’s just that it wasn’t always about right or wrong. It was about survival. He did what he had to do, he said, but he was sorry for it.

“I went every Sunday when I was in street,” he said. “Commit crime and get in trouble Monday through Saturday, then go to Church on Sunday to ask for forgiveness in case anything happened to me or if I died. I’d always go to ask for forgiveness for all the things I did on Monday through Saturday.”

Omotoso told TSS he never really wanted to be a boxer. It just happened. He learned to fight out of necessity. On the streets of Lagos, he said, fighting was just part of staying alive long enough to ask for forgiveness again at church.

“I started boxing on the street. That’s what I did. I was a street fighter. I never planned on being a boxer. I just planned to learn boxing so I could learn how to punch people, so I could fight three people at a time without a weapon. And life just changed from there.”

Once, after a particularly brutal street fight, Omotoso said he headed to the boxing gym while he and other gang members were laying low for awhile from local authorities. Once inside the structured life of the boxing gym, Omotoso quickly established himself. His powerful fists and quick hands made him a natural boxer. His life-or-death battles on the street gave him ruggedness not easily had. But more was needed to make it off the streets of Lagos.

Good fortune smiled on Omotoso by way of an Australian named Murray Thompson. The fighter was invited by the boxing trainer to leave his homeland and train down under. He gave Omotoso a shot at a different kind of lifestyle, a prizefighter’s. Omotoso jumped at the opportunity. In Australia, Omotoso found hope and purpose. He still attended church every Sunday, he said, but he no longer had street crimes to confess.

“I loved the country! I thought I was dead. I thought I was in heaven!”

Omotoso stayed with Thompson from the beginning of his professional career in 2006 until 2010. Running his record to 17-0, Omotoso started to sense he would need more to make a life for himself in the brutal sport of boxing than his newfound heaven could give him.

“I fought in Australia and fought people from Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines – all the Asian counties. But I watched United States fighters and would see how Australian fighters would travel to the United States and they would lose. I knew this was the next step. I needed to go to the U.S. to learn more, to grow more in my career, to make a life for myself.”

After waiting months for trainer Murray to bring him over to the States as promised, Omotoso finally decided to go it on his own. He set out for America alone, this pilgrim pugilist from Nigeria, aimed straight for Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

“United States boxing is like going to University,” he said. “I made it to Freddie Roach’s gym. I sparred there two times. Top Rank saw me and they picked me up from there. Look where I am today! Why not call myself Lucky Boy, brother?”

Top Rank’s chief matchmaker, Bruce Trampler, remembers first discovering Omotoso when he saw him sparring with Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

“Lucky Boy is skilled and he hits real hard. He got my attention quick,” Trampler said.

Omotoso said once signed, he was told things wouldn’t be easy for him. Despite his skill level and power, it wouldn’t take just a few months or a year to reach the top. It would take considerable time and effort on his part. No longer a “street boy” from Lagos plying the boxer’s trade to make ends meet, Omotoso transformed himself into a hardworking, dedicated, professional boxer. He focused on the little things, the subtle nuances of the science that separate the sport’s top performers from the everyday palookas fighting for table scraps.

“When I came here, it’s not that they changed me, it’s that they told me what I didn’t know: how to sit down on my punches, how to work the angles. America is the school of boxing. In Australia I sparred, but not like here. Here, in America, you will find sparring. You can spar as much as you want. Fighting different people, getting different experience. I love my training here.”

Of his Saturday clash, he said, “I can’t wait! This fight will let everyone know I’m ready…that I’m born to do this,” said Omotoso as we finished up the call.

And with a name like Lucky Boy, maybe he really is.

Post Views: 933

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Kelsey McCarson

Early Results from Riyadh where Hamzah Sheeraz was Awarded a Gift Draw

Published

1 hour ago

February 22, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Early-Results-from-Riyadh-where-Hamza-Sheeraz-was-Awarded-a-Gift-Draw

After two 6-round appetizers, British light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith got the show rolling with a lusty 12-round skirmish. Things went south in the middle of the seven-fight main card when WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames locked horns with challenger Hamzah Sheeraz. This was a drab fight owing to a milquetoast performance by the favored Sheeraz.

Heading in, the lanky six-foot-three Sheeraz, whose physique is mindful of a young Thomas Hearns, was undefeated in 21 fights. Having stopped five of his last six opponents in two rounds or less, the 25-year-old Englishman was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. However, he fought off his back foot the entire contest, reluctant to let his hands go, and Adames kept his title when the bout was scored a draw.

Sheeraz had the crowd in his corner and two of the judges scored the match with their ears. Their tallies were 115-114 for Sheeraz and 114-114. The third judge had it 118-110 for Adames, the 30-year old Dominican, now 24-1-1, who had Ismael Salas in his corner.

Ortiz-Madrimov

Super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr, knocked out his first 21 opponents, begging the question of how he would react when he finally faced adversity. He showed his mettle in August of last year when he went a sizzling 12 rounds with fellow knockout artist Serhii Bohachuk, winning a hard-fought decision. Tonight he added another feather in his cap with a 12-round unanimous decision over Ismail Madrimov, prevailing on scores of 117-111 and 115-113 twice.

Ortiz won by adhering tight to Robert Garcia’s game plan. The elusive Madrimov, who bounces around the ring like the energizer bunny, won the early rounds. But eventually Ortiz was able to cut the ring off and turned the tide in his favor by landing the harder punches. It was the second straight loss for Madrimov (10-2-1), a decorated amateur who had lost a close but unanimous decision to Terence Crawford in his previous bout.

Kabayel-Zhang

No heavyweight has made greater gains in the last 15 months than Agit Kabayel. The German of Kurdish descent, whose specialty is body punching, made his third straight appearance in Riyadh tonight and, like in the previous two, fashioned a knockout. Today, although out-weighed by more than 40 pounds, he did away with Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang in the sixth round.

It didn’t start out well for Kabayel. The New Jersey-based, six-foot-six Zhang, a two-time Olympian for China, started fast and plainly won the opening round. Kabayel beat him to the punch from that point on, save for one moment when Zhang put him on the canvas with a straight left hand.

That happened in the fifth round, but by the end of the frame, the 41-year-old Zhang was conspicuously gassed. The end for the big fellow came at the 2:29 mark of round six when he couldn’t beat the count after crumbling to the canvas in a delayed reaction after taking a hard punch to his flabby midsection.

Kabayel remains undefeated at 26-0 (18 KOs). Zhang (27-3-1) hadn’t previously been stopped.

Smith-Buatsi

The all-British showdown between light heavyweights Joshua Buatsi and Callum Smith was a grueling, fan-friendly affair. A former 168-pound world title-holder, Smith, 34, won hard-earned unanimous decision, prevailing on scores of 115-113, 116-112, and a ludicrous 119-110.

There were no knockdowns, but Liverpool’s Smith, who advanced to 31-2 (22) finished the contest with a bad gash in the corner of his right eye. It was the first pro loss for Buatsi (19-1), an Olympic bronze medalist who entered the contest a small favorite and was the defending “interim” title-holder.

This contest was also a battle of wits between two of America’s most prominent trainers, Buddy McGirt (Smith) and Virgil Hunter (Buatsi).

Check back shortly for David Avila’s wrap-up of the last three fights.

Photo credit: Mark Robinson / Matchroom

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 123

Share The Sweet Science experience!

Cain Sandoval KOs Mark Bernaldez in the Featured Bout at Santa Ynez

Published

17 hours ago

February 21, 2025

David A. Avila

Cain-Sandoval-KOs-Mark-Bernaldez-in-the-Featured-Bout-at-Santa-Ynez

Northern California’s Cain Sandoval remained undefeated with a knockout win over Mark Bernaldez in a super lightweight battle on Friday on a 360 Promotions card.

Sandoval (15-0, 13 KOs) of Sacramento needed four rounds to figure out tough Filipino fighter Bernaldez (25-7, 14 KOs) in front of a packed crowd at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez.

Bernaldez had gone eight rounds against Mexico’s very tough Oscar Duarte. He showed no fear for Sandoval’s reputed power and both fired bombs at each other from the second round on.

Things turned in favor of Sandoval when he targeted the body and soon had Bernaldez in retreat. It was apparent Sandoval had discovered a weakness.

In the beginning of the fourth Sandoval fired a stiff jab to the body that buckled Bernaldez but he did not go down. And when both resumed in firing position Sandoval connected with an overhand right and down went the Filipino fighter. He was counted out by referee Rudy Barragan at 34 seconds of the round.

“I’m surprised he took my jab to the body. I respect that. I have a knockout and I’m happy about that,” Sandoval said.

Other Bouts

Popular female fighter Lupe Medina (9-0) remained undefeated with a solid victory over the determined Agustina Vazquez (4-3-2) by unanimous decision after eight rounds in a minimumweight fight between Southern Californians.

Early on Vazquez gave Medina trouble disrupting her patter with solid jabs. And when Medina overloaded with combination punches, she was laced with counters from Vazquez during the first four rounds.

Things turned around in the fifth round as Medina used a jab to keep Vazquez at a preferred distance. And when she attacked it was no more than two-punch combination and maintaining a distance.

Vazquez proved determined but discovered clinching was not a good idea as Medina took advantage and overran her with blows. Still, Vazquez looked solid. All three judges saw it 79-73 for Medina.

A battle between Southern Californian’s saw Compton’s Christopher Rios (11-2) put on the pressure all eight rounds against Eastvale’s Daniel Barrera (8-1-1) and emerged the winner by majority decision in a flyweight battle.

It was Barrera’s first loss as a pro. He never could discover how to stay off the ropes and that proved his downfall. Neither fighter was knocked down but one judge saw it 76-76, and two others 79-73 for Rios.

In a welterweight fight Gor Yeritsyan (20-1,16 KOs) scorched Luis Ramos (23-7) with a 12-punch combination the sent him to the mat in the second round. After Ramos beat the count he was met with an eight punch volley and the fight was stopped at 2:11 of the second round by knockout.

Super feather prospect Abel Mejia (7-0, 5 KOs) floored Alfredo Diaz (9-12) in the fifth round but found the Mexican fighter to be very durable in their six-round fight. Mejia caught Diaz with a left hook in the fifth round for a knockdown. But the fight resumed with all three judges scoring it 60-53 for Mejia who fights out of El Modena, Calif.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 351

Share The Sweet Science experience!

The Return of David Alaverdian

Published

22 hours ago

February 21, 2025

The Sweet Science

By TSS Special Correspondent David Harazduk — After David Alaverdian (8-0-1, 6 KOs) scored a gritty victory against a tough Nicaraguan journeyman named Enrique Irias, his plans suddenly changed. The flashy flyweight from Nahariya, Israel hoped to face even tougher opposition and then challenge for a world title within a year or so. But a prolonged illness forced David to rip up the script.

The Irias fight was over 22 months ago. On Saturday, Feb. 22, Alaverdian will be making his first appearance in the ring since that win when he faces veteran road warrior Josue “Zurdo” Morales (31-16-4, 13 KOs) at the Westgate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It’s the fifth promotion by Las Vegas attorney Stephen Reid whose inaugural card was at this venue on Feb. 13, 2020.

“I’m excited to come back,” Alaverdian declared.

During his preparation for Irias two years ago, Alaverdian felt fatigue after a routine six-round sparring session. “It was on April 1, 2023, about ten days before my fight. It felt like an April Fool’s joke,” he said. He came down with a sore throat, a headache, and congestion. He soon developed trouble breathing. At first, he thought his seasonal asthma had flared up, but his condition soon worsened. No matter what he did, Alaverdian could no longer take deep breaths. Fatigue continued to plague him. His heart constantly raced. Instead of breathing from his diaphragm, he was breathing from his chest. He sought out numerous doctors in the United States and in Israel.

His symptoms were finally diagnosed as Dysfunctional Breathing (DB). DB is a condition that can stem from stress and is often misdiagnosed. Its symptoms include dyspnea and tachycardia, both of which David experienced.

While receiving treatment, the Vegas-based pro went back to Israel where he coached aspiring fighters. “David’s influence on Israeli boxing is amazing, because he shows we can succeed in a big business even though we come from a small country,” said another undefeated Israeli flyweight, 20-year-old Yonatan Landman (7-0, 7 KOs). “A lot more Israelis are going to dare to succeed.”

Landman was able to work with Alaverdian during David’s return to Israel. “He is a great guy and a friend,” Landman said. “He has a lot of willingness to help, share his knowledge, and help you move forward.”

Alaverdian finally started to feel like he could compete again eight months ago. He won last year’s Israeli national amateur championship and competed in Olympic qualifiers. Now, he’s preparing to fight as a professional once again. “He doesn’t mention anything about [his breathing issues] like he did before,” his coach Cedric Ferguson said about this camp. “He’s been working like there’s no issue at all.”

It has been a whirlwind week for the 31-year-old Alaverdian. In addition to putting the finishing touches on his preparation ahead of Saturday’s comeback fight, David got married on Tuesday. His mom came over from Israel for the wedding and will stay for the fight. “It’s a good distraction,” David said of this week’s significant events. “It helps me. That way I don’t have to focus on the fight all day.”

Josue Morales, a 32 year old from Houston, hopes to play spoiler on Saturday. The crafty southpaw has never been stopped during his 52-fight career. “He’s a seasoned guy with a lot of experience,” Alaverdian said of Morales. “He knows how to move around the ring and is more of a technical boxer. He’s a tough opponent for someone who has been out of the ring for two years.”

A win Saturday night would complete a monumental week for David Alaverdian, both in and out of the ring, repairing the once-shredded script.

Doors open at the Westgate fight arena at 6:30 pm. The first bout goes at 7:00. Seven fights are scheduled including an 8-round female fight between Las Vegas light flyweight Yadira Bustillos and Argentine veteran Tamara Demarco.

NOTE: Author David Harazduk has run The Jewish Boxing Blog since 2010. You can find him at Twitter/X @JewishBoxing and Instagram.

To comment on this story in the Fight Forum CLICK HERE

Post Views: 380

Share The Sweet Science experience!