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01/04/2006 Archived Entry: "Joel Julio Looks to Beat Kamya Friday, Make Splash in 2006!"
Joel Julio Looks to Beat Kamya Friday, Make Splash in 2006!
By Juan C. Ayllon
Photo courtesy of Tuto Zabala of All-Star Boxing, Inc.
CICERO, IL - In boxing, everyone likes a knockout puncher and at 25-0 and 22 knockouts—with 12 wins inside two rounds—welterweight prospect Joel Julio appears to have the goods. As an amateur in his native Columbia, he was a two-time National Champion, garnering a record of 85-0. Turning 21 on January 18th, he has been boxing since age nine. With the help of celebrated trainer Buddy McGirt, he looks to notch things up this year.
This Friday, Julio will face dangerous Robert Kamya, who at 14-5 and four knockouts won the WBC Continental Americas Light Middleweight Title over more seasoned Alex Bunema, 26-4-2 and 12 knockouts, by majority decision this last August at Chicago’s United Center. Although stopped in three of his fights—by Luis Hernandez last February, Kofi Jantuah in August 2003 and Jose Alfredo Flores for the NABA Light Middleweight Title in August 2000—and knocked down against Bunema, Kamya’s resiliency and pressure helped him prevail over heavier fisted Bunema.
As such, Kamya presents an interesting challenge to Julio, who arguably has not really been truly tested and certainly has not fought anyone of Kamya’s caliber yet. A criticism has been that 19 of his 25 bouts were fought in Columbia.
That said, in April 2005, Julio stopped Carlos Wilfredo Vichis—whom had gone the distance in losing a unanimous decision to the red hot current IBF and WBA Light Welterweight Champion Ricky Hatton in June 2004. Moreover, in his fight versus Christopher Henry this last August, Julio found that not only did his opponent stand up to his early withering attack, but demonstrated good skills in landing well with return fire of his own in spots. Never the less, Julio rose to the occasion, battering and ultimately stopping Henry in the fourth round.
With Tuto Zabala of All-Star Boxing, Inc. acting as translator, Joel Julio spoke with the Cyber Boxing Zone's Juan Ayllon about his career and his upcoming bout.
JUAN AYLLON: How are you doing today?
JOEL JULIO: I feel great today. I feel good, and I’m on my weight, and everything will be all right.
JA: What have you heard about Robert Kamya, whom you will be fighting on Friday?
JJ: Well, I haven’t had a chance to see much about him, but I know that he’s a strong fighter, that he can take a punch. So, he’s going to be a good fight.
JA: What can you tell us about preparation, in terms of training, sparring partners, or anything else you did to prepare for this bout?
JJ: I started training in Bogota, Columbia, in the high altitude back in early November-late October and been training since then. I trained there for a fight November 30th in New Jersey, and then I moved out to Miami, Florida and stayed training for the fight. I sparred with many different guys—with southpaws, with right-handed, with a whole bunch of different fighters. I’m in great shape.
JA: Describe a typical day of training, as far as roadwork, rounds worked on the bag, sparring and so forth.
JJ: Running between 40 minutes to an hour in the morning; I work out then at noon for two, two and a half hours—punch mitts, jump rope, bag, speed bag, hard work.
TUTO ZABALA: Sparring [is] whenever it’s time to spar, whenever it’s the day he’s supposed to spar, he spars between four to six rounds, sometimes eight.
JA: What are your favorite punches and why?
JJ: Well, I feel for me, any punch is good. I like all of them. I throw a lot of punches with both hands and I can punch with both hands. But if we really have to pick one, it would be my left jab and my left hook. I can really punch with that hand and whoever I hit with that hand will go down.
JA: Did I hear him say the famed “Gancho?” That’s the left hook to the liver, right?
TZ: Not really. The “Gancho’s” a hook. No, “Gancho a higado” is a left hook to the liver.
The left hook would be to the face. He hooks in both places though! [Laughs].
JA: That’s good. In fact, that’s what he did when I saw him against Chris Henry in Chicago.
TZ: Yes.
JA: What so far has been your hardest fight?
JJ: I think I wouldn’t call it my hardest fight, but most interesting fight was in Chicago with Chris Henry because he took all my punches and I felt he was going to take me the distance. I gave him everything I had and he didn’t go down. But finally, in the fourth round, I didn’t know it was going to happen, but I hit him well and he went down.
JA: Through your 25 fights, have you ever had your chin tested?
JJ: Well, I would believe the Chris Henry fight also I got hit with a couple good punches and I was able to keep on. And also with Antonio Soriano, in my pro debut in the United States in Las Vegas, I took a good right hand from him and he hurt me a little bit. But, I’m always in good shape and that made me get right back into the fight.
JA: It’s been previously noted that 19 of your 25 fights were fought in Columbia and therefore almost half of that would count as real pro experience. What do you have to say about that?
JJ: For most of my opponents down there in Columbia were international opponents from Panama, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, and I think all those fights count. You know, I had good fights down there and I think that I only fought a couple of guys who were originally from Columbia. But, I think they count.
JA: What would you say are the biggest differences fighting in the U.S.?
JJ: Well, I believe the venues always coming to the United States been my dream, to be in the big fight cards. And, I’ve been doing that so far. And, I know that I can go much further than that.
I have a big team behind me: My promoters are Main Events and Tuto Zabala, Jr.; and also my manager Hernan Gomez; my trainers, Armado Guerra, Roberto Quesada, [and] Buddy McGirt. I feel I have a complete team that’s going to take me right to the top! [Laughs].
JA: Are you using all three trainers now?
TZ: Yes, we are using all three trainers. I mean, like before the New Jersey fight, he trained in Columbia with Guerra and Quesada, then he moved to Vero Beach with Guerra and McGirt. Right now, he’s in Miami with Guerra and Quesada, and all three will be in the corner on Friday.
JA: Who stands out as far as those trainers in the corner when he’s fighting? Who takes charge?
TZ: Well, it’s been the time when we haven’t had all three of them at the same day at the same fight because of all their commitments. But, we’ve got to figure out before Friday. McGirt doesn’t speak Spanish, so we’re going to have to translate for him. So, probably I would have to say Quesada and Guerra.
JA: As far as punching power, they say that punchers are born. Would you say that this is the case here, too, or have you done anything to enhance your punching power?
JJ: I think you’re born with that and God gave me the talent, as well as the punching power, and there’s nothing you can do to help you punch better or harder.
TZ: Me, personally, I believe he’s not like a huge, big, one punch knockout puncher, but he’s more of a combination guy, you know, that he can nail you with three, four, five punches and knock you out. Because of his quickness—he’s very quick.
JA: What did Buddy McGirt add to the equation as far as your trainers?
JJ: I think that he’s an experienced trainer. He’s agreeing with my trainers, too, and I think he can help me a lot. He gets good punch mitts, and I think he can really help me.
JA: Any predictions about this fight on Friday?
JJ: Everything should be okay. I should have another win. I’ve worked hard and I expect to have another win.
JA: Assuming all goes well, what next?
TZ: February 25th in Las Vegas, on the Mosley-Vargas fight—Vargas vs. Mosley.
JA: And do you have an opponent selected?
TZ: Not yet, but we are working together with Main Events to try to secure an elimination fight. That meaning, fighting another top rated boxer, you know, to become a mandatory challenger at welterweight.
He’s really a welterweight. We took this fight because we wanted to showcase him in Sho-Time and we want to take the opportunity to fight Kamya. But, he’s really a welterweight. We’re testing the waters in the junior middleweight division this Friday [against Kamya]. But he’s definitely going back to welterweight.
JA: Do you have a specific timeline in terms of a title match?
TZ: Not really. I mean, we’re not in a big rush, but, if this elimination match happens in February, hopefully before the ending of the year.
JA: Whom specifically does he want to fight for a title match?
TZ: I can answer this, myself, because he’s answered this question before. That’s Luis Collazo, the WBA Champion; or Antonio Margarito, the WBO Champion. Because we feel that he can beat these guys and he feels can beat them, himself. On the rest, we’re looking at Zab Judah, and Zab Judah’s got bigger fights coming into his future. So, we don’t feel he’s ready yet for the Judah’s or the Mayweather’s. I mean, we feel he’s ready for Collazo or Margarito. And we want to take him step by step. He’ll be ready for those guys within a year to year and a half.
JA: What are some of the areas you think you can improve on?
JJ: I really feel I can improve. I don’t know what I could do to tell you that I need to learn more, but I know I have to learn more and I know that they’re teaching me something new every day. Nothing in particular, but I know I’ve got something to learn out there every day.
JA: On a personal note, do you have a “significant other” in your life right now?
JJ: her name is Tina Morales. She is my girlfriend. She lives in Bogota, Columbia. I want to get married with her at the end of the year. [Laughs].
TZ: He’s got a lot of fighting, a lot of training to do before! [Laughs]. He probably misses her more because he’s been training here since early November, you know? [Laughs].
JA: Any last thoughts you would like to share with us?
JJ: I want to invite everybody—all the fans—for the fight Friday, to come and support me, to come and watch me. See me on TV. I want to thank all the people that work with me and support me. I know this is going to be my chance to show the world that I can really make it.
Thank you for the interview.
[Editor’s note: Julio will fight this Friday at the Cicero Stadium in an event televised on “Sho-Box-the New Generation,” and promoted by Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions and Kathy Duva’s Main Events. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie Avenue in Cicero, Illinois. Doors will open at 6 PM with the first bell at 7 PM. Tickets may be purchased by calling 312-226-5800.]
