“Before a fight I have nothing to say to these younger guys I fight. But afterward, if they want to hear about my experiences, I’m fine with that. I’ll tell them what I’ve learned, no problem.”
You’d think he’d have taken “Road Warrior” for a nickname, given the path his boxing career has taken, but Hammond, Indiana, welterweight veteran Ruben “Modern Day Warrior”Galvan (27-15-4, 10 KOs) is happy with his ring name and everything else about his boxing career.
“I never expected to be where I’m at today. Am I world champ? No. But I feel like a champ. I’ve been a pro fighter for 15 years. I’m not the best boxer, but my chin has gotten me through. Even though I’m always on the road and always in the opposite corner, I’m grateful and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s made me who I am today. I love it.”
Galvan will fight at home and on the left side of the bout sheet for the first time since 2006 when he enters the ring against Ohio’s Gabriel Morris at the Hitz Boxing Fight Night event on Saturday, April 9, at his former place of work, the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana.
Galvan was employed at the Horseshoe for years, serving as valet supervisor, security guard and security trainer.
“I feel great. It’s been a while since I fought here at home, so I’m excited about it. I’m more nervous about fighting at the Horseshoe Casino. I worked there for so long. Going back there to fight is exciting for me.”
Fearless and extremely durable, Galvan is that valuable commodity in boxing seldom praised for his importance to the sport. He is a brave warrior who will fight anyone in their hometown and, if the opponent is above a club level, usually lose well, even against the world’s best.
“I always put on a great show, no matter where I go,” he says proudly. “And even if they boo me before the fight, they all come up to me and shake my hand afterward and say ‘You’re so tough. You have so much heart.’ I wish the fans were the ones in charge of paying me! I show up to fight and entertain. It’s not the WWE, but I try to bring the crowd into it. I love it. I really do. I like to fight dirty and do things to get the crowd riled up. It gets in my opponent’s head too, sometimes.”
While Galvan says he knows little about Morris, he’s not very concerned. “There’s not a style I haven’t seen. All I care about is if he’s southpaw, I want to know. If he’s orthodox, there’s nothing I haven’t seen. I just adjust to it and do my thing.”
In his long career, Galvan has “done his thing” against a long list of up-and-coming contenders and world champions and incurred surprisingly little injury for his all-action style. “Zab Judah is probably the biggest name I’ve fought, but as far as the best fighter I have fought technically, I would have to go with (former world champions) Paul Spadafora or Jorge Paez as the two best. And through it all, all I’ve ever gotten was eight stitches and two broken hands. That’s the worst I’ve ever gotten hurt. I feel fine.”
Still, even the toughest men fighters know that eventually time will tick away until it’s time to hang them up. “It’s hard to say when I’ll quit. I wanted to retire a year or two ago, but my phone keeps ringing and the money is great. I don’t want to push it though. Maybe this year will be my last. It’s hard when someone calls you and offers you big money. It’s like what do you do? Especially something I love to do. The way the economy is right now, I’ll take it. But even when I’m done as a fighter, I’m going to stay in boxing as a trainer and coach till the day I die.”
The Satruday, April 9 Hitz Boxing Fight Night’s 10-round main event will feature Abdulai Amidu vs. Brandon “The Business” Baue for the WBC Continental Americas Junior Middleweight Belt.
Also scheduled to appear are: Abdulai Amidu’s brother Yakubu “Black Mamba” Amidu (19-2-1, 16 KOs); Chicago middleweight Mike Kurzeja (4-0, 4 KOs); Chicago super middleweight Ninos Abraham (5-0, 2 KOs); Chicago heavyweight Dave Latoria (7-0, 3 KOs); Chicago junior lightweight Paulie Settepani making his pro debut; and Chicago light welterweight Russell Fiore (4-0-1, 4 KOs) in separate bouts.
For more information, please visit: www.hitzboxing.com.
WHEN: Fight Night at Horseshoe Casino
Saturday, April 9, 2010
Action Starts at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Price: $10 – $90
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT TICKETMASTER AND AT:
www.thevenue-chicago.com
Must be 21 or older to attend shows. Must be 21 or older to gamble.
WHERE: THE VENUE AT HORSESHOE CASINO
777 Casino Center Dr., Hammond, IN, 46320
Horseshoe Box Office: 219-473-6060
ABOUT CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT CORPORATION
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s largest casino entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 70 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visitwww.caesars.com.
ABOUT HORSESHOE CASINO
The all new $500 million Horseshoe Casino, a Caesars Entertainment Corporation, just 20 minutes from downtown Chicago is the premier entertainment and gambling destination in Chicagoland. Where legendary gaming lives on, Horseshoe boasts more than 350,000 square feet with over 3,000 slot machines, over 100 table games, one of the largest poker rooms in the Midwest, and more. The Venue at Horseshoe Casino is proud to offer the ultimate concert and entertainment destination and premier experience in a flexible space that can hold up to 3,300 guests. Dining elegance is not overlooked and guests can choose from a variety of dining options including; Jack Binion’s Steak House which overlooks Lake Michigan and recent winner of the 2009 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, around-the-globe variety at the Village Square Buffet, and a taste of Chicago at Benny’s Pub and Eatery.
For more information, please visit: www.chicagohorseshoe.com.
Must be 21 years or older to gamble or attend events at The Venue. Know When To Stop Before You Start® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-9WITH-IT © 2011 Caesars License Company, LLC.
