For me, as someone who has closely followed the career of Omar Figueroa, I don’t think Omar Figueroa receives enough credit. His knock-out power is intimidating, he can box southpaw or orthodox beautifully, and it’s easy to see his obvious passion for the sport while he’s in the ring punishing his opponents. Outside of the ring, he’s a quiet, soft spoken young man who might not look like much of a threat to any opponent; but inside the ring, he’s a knock out.
Mr. Figueroa was nice enough to sit down and answer some questions for me, giving boxing fans an insight on who he really is and what he feels about some of this year’s biggest fights.
BD: First and foremost, I must congratulate you on your success thus far with your impressive professional record. You are indeed a sight to watch inside of the ring. I have to ask, who inspired you to become a boxer?
OF: Nobody inspired me to box; my father kind of forced me to. He was bullied a lot when he was growing up since he migrated to the states from Mexico so he wanted me to know how to defend myself if that was ever the case for me. He had always loved boxing though; he says that if my grandfather would have supported him in his dream of becoming a boxer, that he would have been a world champion.
BD: What was your career in the amateurs like? How well did you do?
OF: I really didn’t take my amateur career seriously, at least not here in the US. I started my amateur career in Mexico at the age of 7, and my first fight was 3, 3 minute rounds. I got used to that, I trained for that, and I was really disappointed when I fought here in the US and the rounds only lasted 1 minute (laughs). By the time the fight was over, I was barely warming up. Plus, I developed my style; I would use movement, counter punching, and a lot of other techniques RARELY seen in 7-15 year olds here. I knew my time to shine would be in the PROs, and I waited patiently till then.
BD: As a professional, you are 18-0-1 with 15 KOs. You have stopped your last 4 opponents, not letting any of them see round 3. Who has been your toughest opponent so far?
OF: My toughest opponent I would have to say was Arturo Quintero. For whatever reason, that fight was obviously my toughest, (laughs), I was at the lowest point in my career, I didn’t have the proper training, the proper sparring, the proper diet, and I was having just as much trouble sleeping as I do now…everything just went wrong for me for that fight. Luckily, I’m not one to give up easily, and I managed to escape with a draw. I want that rematch though; we’ve been asking Golden Boy for Quintero again. I want to redeem myself; after all, the fans are the ones that are going to come out on top. It was a GREAT first fight, I’m sure it will be a GREAT rematch as well.
BD: I have read comments where boxing fans have mentioned the lack of toughness some of your previous foes have had. I have also seen you comment about that topic in interviews and you said that your team has asked Golden Boy for tougher opponents to compete with. In the Light Welterweight Division, who are some of the possible future opponents you’re looking to get into the ring with eventually, and why?
OF: We don’t ask for anybody in specific, we just ask Golden Boy to please take us seriously. That is all; we know that if I keep doing well in the ring, the “big names” will start appearing in our contracts. If I keep winning, there is NO WAY that I am NOT going to get a shot. So I just rather keep my mouth shut, keep winning, and let it happen by itself. I’m in no rush. (Smiles)
BD: Speaking of Golden Boy, what is it like to be promoted by Oscar De La Hoya who has profoundly expressed his positive opinions of you, saying “this kid could be the overall package” and “Omar has it all”?
OF: Its nothing special to me, my job is to fight and win and that’s what I aim to do. Everything else is extra. If he really did think I was the “overall package”, then he’s not really proving it. The way he treated Khan, the way he treated Ortiz, now THAT is believing in somebody. I guess I still have a lot to prove, so I’m using it to my advantage, I use it to motivate me.
BD: What do you think of Golden Boy’s recently confirmed matchup between Saul Canelo Alvarez and Josesito Lopez for September 15th, 2012?
OF: Josesito earned it, he deserves that shot although I don’t think he’s going to match up well against a guy who is a natural 154 pounder, when Josesito is a 140. But hey, the point is to make money, right? So there is his chance, I wish them both the best and may the best man win.
BD: I know Joel Diaz is your trainer, so you have had the opportunity to see the new WBO Welterweight champion, Timothy Bradley, in action. What’s it like being around him and what was your honest opinion of the June 9th bout where he faced Manny Pacquiao? Did you agree with the judges scoring?
OF: It’s a show, it’s a business, it’s a sport, and it’s the SWEET SCIENCE. Boxing is one of the most complex sports I know of. It can be as simple as a one punch knockout, or as complex as a controversial decision. My honest opinion is that I really didn’t pay attention to the fight. I don’t watch boxing for a reason, (laughs) I’d rather enjoy it for what it is to ME. I love this sport, this sport is my life, it’s my past, it’s my present, and God-willing, it’s going to secure my future. That’s what I think about that decision (laughs).
BD: I understand that you have trained with Freddie Roach in Los Angeles, and Amir Khan was a sparring partner of yours. What did you think about the shocking upset that undefeated Danny Garcia gave Amir Khan in the 4th round?
OF: An upset is considered an upset when you believe ONE side has a big advantage or you “think” has the advantage for whatever reason over the other side, right? Well, it’s rare that I think one boxer has the advantage over the other, because in boxing, ONE punch can end it. Danny Garcia is a strong boxer; I helped him prepare for his fight against Holt. I knew it’d be a great/even fight.
BD: What has been the most difficult thing about training for you as a professional boxer?
OF: The most difficult thing, to date, is the dieting. Coming from the family and background I come from, food is a BIG part of our culture, it’s almost like magic to us (laughs) it cures it all, it heals it all, it brings everyone together, it’s just a BIG, BIG part of our lives. Having to let go of that for a couple of months is TORTUROUS! I’m learning how to manage though; I’m getting better and better at being disciplined when it comes to my diet.
BD: I understand that you have a close relationship with your father; he is always close by when you have a fight. Seeing your obvious strong relationship with him makes me smile because it reminds me of the one I have with my dad. In what ways has your dad inspired you inside and outside of the ring?
OF: My parents are everything to me, I am who I am inside and out because of them. I owe everything to my parents. They deserve just as much credit for what I am doing/going to do as I do. It’s been rough, it’s been rocky, shaky, bad, hurtful, and detrimental at times, but we’ve always come out on top. I know you asked about my dad, but my mom has just as much if not more to do with it than him. My dad always took care of me when it came to sports, the character I have is a reflection of everything he’s taught me, but my persona, my personality, and the way I view life is a reflection of what my mother has instilled in me. I believe there are no better team members than our own family.
BD: When training camp has come to an end and you are free to indulge into whatever food it is you want, where’s your favorite place to eat?
OF: My WHOLE family is GREAT at cooking, so I’m hoping I can gather them ALL up and have a BIG cookout. My mom is great at cooking in general, she really has no focal point, but my aunts and uncles all have something they focus on and like best. One of my uncles is great with the grill, another is great with the “plow disk cooker”, and my aunts both have something they specialize in as well. All in all, that is honestly all I can think about! I haven’t really had a home-cooked meal since January, so I’m REALLY looking to family grub time (laughs).
BD: When you are in the ring fighting, who are you representing? What does boxing mean to you?
OF: I represent myself, my morals, my family, my countries, and what boxing should really be about. Money is the root of all evil, and unfortunately, we need money to live comfortably. I think boxing has revolutionized by money in a way that doesn’t favor the ones who are putting up that money. The fans have missed out on a lot of great fights because of that. It’s not about the passion, it’s not about the pride, it’s not about the challenge anymore, it’s about making money. I love boxing, and my only goal when I step in the ring is to punish my opponent as much as I possibly can. I aim to do as much damage as possible, of course, mostly if they deserve it. When I fought Perez, I could have gone for the one-punch knockout, but he was talking so much crap that I promised myself I would punish him enough to make him quit, and even at that, I wasn’t satisfied with the amount of punishment he received that night. If I would have known my next opponent was talking smack too, I wouldn’t have ended it in the 2nd round; I would have let it go on a few more rounds as well. When I fought cannon, I went for the one-punch knockout for a reason, same with the following two. Dominic hasn’t been his usual self, from what I’ve heard he was really cocky and obnoxious, but I still haven’t decided on my game plan for Saturday.
BD: If you could name 3 past or current boxers that you look up to, who would they be?
OF: I don’t watch boxing, therefore I don’t know boxers. What I know is what I hear, and I don’t like to base my opinions/thoughts based on what I hear. I don’t look up to boxers, but if I had to mention 3, it’d be Oscar De La Hoya, because he was smart with what he did with boxing. Manny Pacquiao, because at one point, I DO believe he fought for the right reasons. Marco Antonio Barrera, simply because of the beating he put on Prince Naseem Hamed.
BD: What are some of your goals you’d like to reach in this industry within the next 5 years?
OF: The only goal I have is to keep winning, keep giving the fans what they want, and to be the best person I can be. Live, laugh, love, learn. To enjoy life as much as I do now would be nice.
BD: I know you said you haven’t decided what your game plan is, but what intentions do you have for Saturday night’s fight against Dominic Salcido?
OF: My game plan is to go in there, and give it my best. I will not quit, I will not give up. I will fight till the end, that is my game plan… aside from inflicting as much punishment as possible (smiles).
BD Is there anything you want your fans to know?
OF: I just want my fans to know that I bust my ass, I starve, I dehydrate, I sweat, I bleed, and I cry, all because of them. I am truly devoted to this sport.
BD: Omar, thank you so much for this opportunity. I appreciate you taking the time to answer all of my questions; it was such an honor to interview you! Good luck on your fight Saturday evening, champ!
There you have it; he is one of the most down to earth, humble guys in the business with an inspiring passion for the sport he loves. Please make sure to check out Omar do his thing this Saturday in the ring against Dominic Salcido on HBO Saturday night, July 21st, 2012.
Also, check out Omar Figueroa on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/OmarPanteritaFigueroa and follow him on Twitter @OmarFigueroaJr.
--The Boxing Queen
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