OSTON (March 14, 2011) – For all intents and purposes, Sean Eklund already settled the score when he beat Eddie Soto in a rematch for the Eastern Boxing Association (EBA) welterweight championship last March.
Some would argue he won the first fight, too, way back in February of 2009.
So why, after more than two years since the initial installment of this exciting interstate rivalry, would Eklund (8-4, 1 KO) agree to fight Soto (12-2, 4 KOs) for a third time?
“Even though I felt I won the first fight, he still has a win on paper, and he gave me a rematch, so I’m returning the favor,” said Eklund, a 27-year-old veteran of Lowell, Mass., who is trained by his uncles Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund of “The Fighter” fame. “He’s a respectful person. If he was [a jerk], I wouldn’t give him a shot.”
Soto’s chance to win back the title will come Wednesday, March 16, 2011, in the six-round co-feature of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Boxing At The Royale” show at The Royale (formerly known as The Roxy) in downtown Boston. The main event will feature reigning New England light heavyweight champion Joe Gardner (7-1-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., defending his title against Lowell native “Irish” Joey McCreedy (11-5-2, 6 KOs).
The previous Eklund-Soto fights certainly didn’t lack in both controversy and excitement. Eklund scored two knockdowns in the fifth round of their first bout in February of 2009, yet Soto escaped with a 58-55, 57-56, 56-57 split-decision victory. The rematch last March wasn’t close; Eklund again sent Soto to the canvas and rolled to a 58-55, 58-55, 59-55 unanimous decision win.
Those who enjoyed the first two chapters of this trilogy should expect more of the same Wednesday night; Eklund doesn’t plan on changing his approach against Soto, especially since the blueprint worked so well the second time around.
The main difference between the first and second fight, aside from the final outcome, was the added pressure in Eklund’s game plan, which he executed successfully without sacrificing his defense, footwork or ring generalship.
“You really don’t change as a fighter,” Eklund said. “I think I pretty much know what he’ll do. He’ll make a few little adjustments, but, for the most part, he’s the same fighter. I expect him to be in great shape and I expect it to be a tough fight.”
These days, the Eklund name carries a bit more weight than it has in the past, even with both Ward and Dicky Eklund firmly entrenched as local icons in Lowell. Sean Eklund has dealt with the pressure of living up to his relatives (Ward was a former WBU world champion with 38 professional victories while Dicky Eklund won 19 fights in his career and went the distance with Sugar Ray Leonard) and has recently noticed an increased hunger among his opponents.
“I used to feel it when I was younger, but I’m used to it by now,” Eklund said. “People might get up a bit to fight me a little more than in the past because they can say, “Oh, I’ll take down Micky Ward’s nephew … I just beat Dicky Eklund’s nephew,” or whatever. I definitely see that as a possibility.”
Eklund felt the pressure upon his return to the ring Feb. 4 at Mohegan Sun when he outlasted Noel Garcia in a close, unanimous decision, but, in his opinion, his ring rust had more to do with the fact he took the fight on short notice and had to lose 32 pounds in five weeks. With ample time to prepare for Wednesday’s rematch, Eklund is rejuvenated and ready to defend his title.
“This is like night and day; I feel 100 percent better,” he said. “I just want to stay active. After the Garcia fight, I took one week off and was right back in the gym. I’m taking it one fight at a time and I’m going to keep learning. I didn’t have a long amateur career, so I learn something new with each fight.
“I don’t think you ever stop learning. The experience is something you take from every fight.”
As for his next step following Wednesday’s fight, Eklund is still unsure, but you can rule out a fourth showdown against Soto. “I don’t see the need for another one,” he quipped.
“Boxing At The Royale” also features a four-round intrastate showdown between junior middleweight Derek Silveira (3-0, 1 KO) of Salem, Mass., and Jose Angel Ortiz (3-6-1) of Springfield. In separate, four-round bouts, female welterweight Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (4-1, 1 KO) of Marshfield will face Ashley Hair (1-0, 1 KO) of South Bend, Ind.; New Bedford junior welterweight Johnathan Vazquez (3-0, 3 KOs) will take on Bryan Abraham (2-5-2, 2 KOs) of Schenectady, N.Y.; and lightweight Danny Powers (1-0, 1 KO) of Claremont, N.H., faces Fred Mandracchia of Weymouth, Mass., in Mandracchia’s pro debut.
All $50 and $75 tickets for “Boxing At The Royale,” located at 279 Tremont Street in Boston, are currently sold out, but general-admission tickets priced at $40 are still available and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254 or online at www.cesboxing.com. For more information on “Boxing At The Royale,” visit www.cesboxing.com or www.royaleboston.com. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the first bout scheduled for 7 p.m.