The fans see the winning boxer basking in glory with his arms raised high. What they don’t see is a lonely, bored 25-year-old driving to the gym at 11 pm for his third workout of the day.
“I’m not going to lie. It becomes boring sometimes,” admits Chicago super middleweight Ninos Abraham (5-0, 2 KOs). “How fun is driving to the gym at this hour? It’s not like I drive here three times a week. I’m going to the gym six nights a week. I’ve got no time for family or my girlfriend. But I look at it as all being worth it in the end when I become a world champion.”
Abraham is in final preparations to appear on the Hitz Boxing Fight Night event on Saturday, April 9, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana. He is scheduled to face Indiana veteran Nathan Wilkes.
“Boxing is my full-time job. I go for a run in the morning at 6:30 am, four miles, then I do intervals uphill then crunches and push ups. Then I come home and go back to bed. At noon, I go to the boxing gym, come home, do laundry and go back to bed. At night, I head to the gym for more cardio and strength training.”
Abraham is a proud Assyrian American. “People say Assyrian what’s that? I have to tell them remember the Babylonians? That’s who we are. I speak a dialect of the Aramaic language. I speak what Jesus spoke. Remember that movie Passion of the Christ? I understood a lot of that movie without the subtitles!”
It was an uncle who got the young Ninos interested in boxing. “I started at eight years old. My uncle was boxer who was wining tournaments and getting trophies. One time I asked him for his trophy and he told me ‘I could give it to you, but it’d mean nothing. You have to go get your own.’ My father took me to a boxing gym and within two weeks I had my first fight and lost. I ended up fighting that guy five more times and I beat him every time after that.”
Abraham had a fantastic amateur career, going 160-25. He was a three-time 152-lb Open Chicago Golden Gloves Champion and fought in many national tournaments for the US.
The disciplined young man of today didn’t always take boxing this seriously. Bad management and financial pressure forced him to put his passion on hold a great deal. Then one day he met a fellow Assyrian who made him an offer.
“I have a manger now,” he says proudly. “Albert Khouri is a guy I know who is also Assyrian. He’s always watched me as a young amateur and liked how I fight and the person I am. He saw how down I was and unhappy and asked me what’s the problem? I told him I don’t think I can box anymore. You can’t have a regular job and put 110% into boxing and become a world champ. He said listen, if you give me everything, I will manage you and help you out. Now I’m on a weekly salary so I can pay my bills and just train.”
It’s all starting to come together for Ninos Abraham. He may not enjoy the monotony of training, but he wouldn’t want his life any other way. “This is what I love. I love the emotions, the fame, and the exposure. I love the entertaining and I want to do something for my Assyrian people and put them back on the sporting map. I do a reality check now and then and ask myself if I really think I’ll make it and I know I can do it. That’s the only reason I’m spending so much time on this game.
Also scheduled to appear are: Yakubu “Black Mamba” Amidu (19-2-1, 16 KOs); Chicago light welterweight Russell Fiore (4-0-1, 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 Hammond welterweight Ruben “Modern Day Warrior” Galvan (27-15-4, 10 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
Perez happy to be fighting at home in Hartford
HARTFORD (April 6, 2011) – Popular East Hartford lightweight Joseph “Chip” Perez (5-0, 2 KOs) puts his undefeated record on the line Saturday night at home against unbeaten Esteban Nichol (2-0, 1 KO) on “The Willie Pep Boxing Classic” card, presented by Hard Hittin’ Promotions (“HHP”), at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.
In a crossroads fight of significant interest, local heavyweight favorite Tony “TNT” Grano (17-2-1, 13 KOs), the 2005 U.S. Nationals amateur champion, meets veteran “Diamond” Dominque Alexander (20-10-1, 10 KOs) in the eight-round main event.
Perez, who works for the Connecticut Department of Children & Family, was born and raised in Holyoke (MA). The 24-year-old former New England Golden Gloves champion recently has had, unfortunately, several scheduled fights fall through. His last action was back in November, a first-round knockout of Ronnie Peterson at Mohegan Sun. Saturday night he’s matched against Nichol in a four-round bout.
“I don’t know anything about my opponent other than he’s 2-0 and a former Golden Gloves champ from Colorado,” Perez said. “I trust my manager, Bret Hallenbeck, and I’m always ready to fight. My style depends on my opponent. I adjust to what my he does in the ring.
“Fighting at home is awesome. Mohegan Sun is in Connecticut but it’s a long distance (from Hartford) compared to the Connecticut Convention Center, which is only five minutes from my house. I was born and raised in Holyoke and I always have a lot of family and friends from there supporting me when I fight. They’ll be there for this fight, too, along with family, friends and co-workers from here (Hartford).”
Perez’ chief second is former world title contender “Iceman” John Scully, who trains numerous boxers at Lion’s Den Connecticut in Middletown. “He’s has been very exciting and dynamic so far in each of his five fights,” Scully commented. “He’s shown that he can box and punch, but he’s been most exciting for fans when he comes in with both guns blazing, letting go five and six punch combinations. He had more than 100 amateur bouts. He spars frequently with the likes of Matt Remillard and Mike Oliver and more than holds his own. If he stays on course, I think he will have a great future in the professional game.”
Remillard and Oliver are locally-based world-class boxers. “Sparring with them has been a great experience for me,” Perez noted, “going against guys who are such bigger names. I’ve learned how to adjust and adapt by working with these two world class fighters. I study Matt and Mike, as well as John, when they spar and try to remember what I saw when I’m in the ring. I’m learning what they’ve been through, in and out of the ring, and I often talk to them about boxing.”
Bantamweight Danny Aquino (5-1, 1 KO), fighting out of Meriden (CT), faces James Owens (4-2, 2 KOs) in the six-round co-feature.
The undercard showcases some of the best young fighters in New England, including Norwalk (CT) veteran Shakha Moore (10-15-3, 2 KOs) vs. welterweight Noel Garcia (2-8, 1 KO), and promising New Haven featherweight and former amateur standout, Luis Rosa (5-0, 2 KOs) vs. Tommy Attencio (4-6, 2 KOs), both in six-round bouts .
Also scheduled to fight on the is Middletown (CT) favorite, light heavyweight Doug Cartelli (1-0), against Jaquan Williams in his pro debut, plus undefeated Philadelphia super featherweight Frank Trader (7-0, 2 KOs) versus John Willoughby (2-6, 1 KO). All fights and fighters are subject to change.
There will be a special wheelchair boxing exhibition match wheelchair boxer Ian Cannon, an 18-year-old college student who faces former New England Golden Gloves champion Luis Reynoso, of Springfield (MA), in a three-round wheelchair boxing exhibition under amateur boxing rules (headgear, large gloves, etc.). The inspirational Cannon, of Glastonbury (CT), suffers from cerebral palsy but regularly trains at Lion’s Den Connecticut in Middletown, where he has developed a wheelchair boxing program, “Roll With The Punches.”
Tickets are priced at $100.00 (ringside), $80.00 (preferred seating), $60.00 (reserved) and $40.00 (general admission) and are available to purchase by calling 860.402.4838 or The Lion’s Den at 860.613.2394.
Willie Pep: Born Gugliermo Papaleo in 1922 in Middletown, CT. He was a 2-time world champion who retired in 1966 after a 26 year professional career with an amazing 229-11-1 (65 KOs) record. In 1990, Pep was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. He died November 23, 2006 at the age of 84.
REYNOSO VS. ALMARAZ HEADLINE “NEW BLOOD” ON APRIL 29 FOR WBC CABOFE BELT TITLE
ORANGE, CA (April 6, 2011) – It will be a spring slugfest on Friday, April 29, when Thompson Boxing Promotions presents a WBC CABOFE junior welterweight championship fight pitting Riverside’s Jose “El Niño” Reynoso against Texas’ Esteban Almaraz. This bout headlines the latest edition of the popular “New Blood” series at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, California.
Also featured on this seven bout card will be Alberto “Baby Dynamite” Herrera, and unbeatens Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez and Jonathan “Lil’ Thund’r” Arellano.
Tickets for “NEW BLOOD” are priced at $75, $45, and $30. They are available now and may be purchased by calling 714-935-0900.
Fresh from a near shutout win over veteran Santos Pakau on February 25th, Mexicali native Jose Reynoso (14-3-1, 2 KOs) will return to the Doubletree for his fourth straight appearance on April 29, but this bout has even more at stake, since the 26 year old will be looking to defend his WBC CABOFE crown for the first time and continue on his road to a world title shot.
Harlingen, Texas’ Esteban Almaraz (10-3, 4 KOs) is a veteran of over four years in the pro ranks, and with wins in three of his last five bouts, including a six round victory over former world champion Nestor Garza last June, he has received plenty of deserved praise from around the boxing world. Later this month he will attempt to stop Reynoso’s five fight unbeaten streak in front of his hometown fans.
In an intriguing eight round welterweight bout, it will be a California turf war when Riverside’s Alberto Herrera (7-2-1, 5 KOs) squares off against East Los Angeles’ Aron Martinez (13-1-1, 3 KOs). Eager to get back to his winning ways after losses to Demetrius Andrade and Chris Chatman, the 29 year old Herrera will have his hands full with Mexico City native Martinez, whose current five fight winning streak includes a win over Pavel Miranda last June at the Doubletree.
Another match that will have boxing fans watching closely is the six round featherweight showdown between La Puente’s Abraham Lopez (13-0, 10 KOs) and Vista’s Aron Garcia (10-1-2, 2 KOs). The 23 year old Lopez likes nothing better than an emphatic knockout win, and thus far in his career he’s taken out eight opponents in two rounds or less. Garcia is a veteran who hasn’t lost a fight since 2006, and he has his sights set on removing the “0” from Lopez’ record on April 29.
In undercard action…
Ontario’s own Jonathan Arellano (7-0-1, 1 KO) will put his unbeaten record up for grabs in a six round bantamweight matchup against Denver’s Ernie Marquez (9-8-1, 3 KOs).
Also, New Hampshire junior welterweight Jhon Ortega (3-0-1, 3 KOs) looks for another knockout victory, but he’ll be put to the test by Harlingen, Texas’ Hector Garza (3-1, 2 KOs), a fighter with a pretty fair KO punch of his own.
In a four round super bantamweight contest, Indio’s Francisco Ochoa makes his pro debut against Bakersfield’s Jose Garcia (0-3), and in the opening bout of the evening, debuting Puerto Rican super bantamweight Angel Aponte takes on an opponent to be announced at a later date.
Bouts subject to change. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the first bell rings at 7:30 pm. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 North Vineyard Avenue in Ontario. The hotel phone number is 909-937-0900.