FRANCISCO FIGUEROA INTERVIEW
Posted on | March 20, 2007 | 1 Comment
Interview With Francisco “Gato” Figueroa
By Matt Yanofsky
Today I had the pleasure of speaking with the current Junior Welterweight prospect Francisco “Gato” Figueroa. On November eleventh, Figueroa earned the biggest victory of his career over the previously undefeated Joey Rios. Figueroa is slated to fight Antonio Ramirez Thursday on Lou Dibella’s Broadway Boxing card at the Manhattan Center. MY: What’s up Gato? Looking back at the Rios fight, are you 100 percent satisfied with your victory, or do you think there are things you could have improved on? I know it was a close majority decision.
FF: I am very satisfied! I think it was a great fight, I came to win and I won in front of all my fans at Madison Square Garden.
MY: I know you had a few fights fall off since your victory over Rios, what exactly happened?
FF: Both fights that fell through {January sixth and March sixteenth}, we had a last minute change of opponents. I am too far along in my career to be taking on guys that I know nothing about and I have not prepared for. It is too risky. After my fight Thursday, I will be fighting April thirteenth in West Palm Beach, Florida.
MY: Has this been frusturating to you, or are you happy you didn’t end up in fights you weren’t 100 percent sure of?
FF: Although it is upsetting to have fights fall through, in the long run I am happy I didn’t take them because of how short the notice was and the frequent last minute opponent changes.
MY: Thursday you will be facing Antonio Ramirez: a 44-fight veteran who will be perhaps the toughest test of your career. What have you done or added to your training camp to be properly prepared?
FF: During this camp, I have used different sparring partners. The guys we brought in were aggressive because Ramirez is an aggressive fighter. We also watched some tape on him.
MY: Gato, thanks for your time. What do you have to say to your fans and the readers of Fight News Unlimited?
FF: Thanks for the interview. I just want to let my fans know I’m doing what I got to do to satisfy them and come out victorious!