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10/12/2007 Archived Entry: "Louis Turner Looks to Overcome Major ‘Hump’ in Hernandez This Saturday!"
Louis Turner Looks to Overcome Major ‘Hump’ in Hernandez This Saturday!
By Juan C. Ayllon
Photo by Tom Barnes,
Courtesy of Bernie Bahrmasel
Louis Turner (right) lands a hard right to the jaw of Kendall Gould in December 2006
CHICAGO—Louis Turner is an exciting, hard hitting undefeated middleweight boxer promoted by Don King. At 11-0 with seven knockouts, he’s being carefully groomed. And, when it comes down to it, he’s a nice, local kid trying to make good on his talents.
However, boxing is littered with the tattered remnants of once-promising boxers that are cast aside like so much tinsel and confetti the day after New Years Eve. And on this Saturday at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Turner will face grizzled veteran Angel “El Toro” Hernandez, who, in his quest to make confetti out of Turner, promises a war that threatens to upstage the evening’s main event—Julio Diaz versus Juan Diaz for the WBA, WBO and IBF Lightweight titles.
Hernandez, 32, was once, too, a promising boxer from Chicago. A rugged warrior by his own right, he went the distance in a war against former WBC, WBA and IBF Light Middleweight champion Ronald “Winky” Wright. Fact is, he went the distance with other top-flight opposition, but was inconsistent as he came up short in amassing a career record of 27-6 with 16 knockouts.
Now, Hernandez is looking to make a statement against Turner as he seeks to redeem his career and make one last run at a title.
Growing up in the mean streets of Chicago, Louis Turner, 26, attended Paul Robeson High School in Chicago, where he lettered in baseball and wrestling. “I was MVP my senior year in high school for baseball and wrestling,” Turner said. “I was always pretty athletic.”
Unfortunately, his raw talent didn’t take him to state honors.
“I didn’t, due to childhood mistakes,” Turner said. “I didn’t make it. I should have. But you know, I learned from it; I progressed from it.”
Following graduation from high school, Turner went to Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, attending a semester before returning to Chicago, where he received a certificate in computer repairs from the Taylor Business Institute in 2001.
Louis Turner currently works as a clerk for the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Several days before his fight against Hernandez, Turner granted me a telephone interview.
JUAN AYLLON: Hi. This is Juan Ayllon from the Cyber Boxing Zone. How are you?
LOUIS TURNER: Oh. How are you doing, sir?
JA: Doing all right, doing all right. How is the training going?
LT: Oh, it’s going pretty good. Yeah. I’m feeling great!
JA: I understand this is kind of a breakout bout for you, coming up against “El Toro” Hernandez.
LT: Yes, sir. It’s a big fight. I think it’s a good fight for my career right now. Ah, [I’m] looking forward to it. He’s going to be a tough brawl. Can’t really say I’m looking forward to a tough brawl, but if it come, it comes.
JA: I understand you’ve been doing some pretty tough sparring with the likes of Michael Walker, Shay Mobley and some others. What can you tell us about your sparring experience?
LT: Yeah, I’m having some real good work. A lot of guys are coming to my help: Ah, Luciano Perez, Carlos—
JA: Carlos who?
LT: Carlos…I can’t think of his last name. I’ve been getting pretty good work—really good work.
JA: And what about road work?
LT: I’ve been running six and a half miles a day, five days a week. Up early in the morning [is] good for me, so, I’ve been getting it in.
JA: Describe your style for someone who’s never seen you fight.
LT: I really don’t have a one-way style. It really depends on my opponent, what he brings to the table. Well, then, I adapt to what I think works best against him. I consider myself a boxer-puncher. I can fight, I can brawl if need be. But, if I feel he’s too strong, I’ll box.
JA: What are your thoughts on “El Toro” fighting Winky Wright and some of these other big names?
LT: I think it’s pretty big. You know, I mean, it works in his favor. He’s been there, fighting big names, and the experience is there. I think it’s a big opportunity for me, to see where I stand on the record [Richter?] scale.
JA: Assuming all goes well, what would you like to do next?
LT: Win. [He chuckles.] I would like to fight for maybe a small title, you know, get some recognition.
I really don’t have a plan for what’s next. I’m basically trying to get over this hump right here. It’s a pretty big hump, if you ask me! It’s a pretty big step up. You know, he’s a very known fighter in the game, he beat a lot of good fighters, and when he lost, he never lose big. So, I’ve got my work cut out for me.
JA: Do you have a prediction for the fight?
LT: Ah, I’m hoping to wear him down by four rounds—four to five rounds. I know, I’ve heard he’s pretty strong; he’s game for whatever. It depends on what kind of shape he’s on how long the fight’s gonna go. If he’s in great shape, I could see us going the distance. If he’s not, I could see it end early.
JA: On a side note, what drew you to boxing?
LT: Me and my friends were hanging out, talking, kickin’ it. And we got to talking mess to each other. We went and bought boxing gloves from the nearest sport goods store. And then, in my auntie’s basement, [we] had it out. I beat ‘em all up. And then in a couple days, we started looking for a gym. Took us—what—two weeks? And then we found the final gym. The first gym was Davie Square Park District at 44th and Marshfield. I met my coach.
JA: This was in high school?
LT: No, I was 20 years old, right before my 21st birthday, January of 2002.
JA: And you got into the amateurs right after that?
LT: Yup.
JA: Tell us more about that.
LT: Well, I started at Davie Square—James Dixon was my coach, still is my coach. And we went for the Golden Gloves. Actually, it was my first fight. It was less than two months away [from when I started boxing]. I came in like the end of January, I got sick because of the change of eating habits, and work habits, and things of that nature. And, I came back in, in February. And we worked hard. I started out about 180 [pounds]. We lost a lot of weight, within the month that we had to prepare for the fight, for the Golden Gloves that was up in March. I ended up winning. I won the tournament and I won the “Most Outstanding Boxer” award. It was light middleweight—156 [pounds] I think it was back then—154, something like that.
JA: What do you want to accomplish in boxing?
LT: I want to go for the whole gusto: I want to be a world champion. I want to see—you know, I talked to God and I almost quit boxing a couple of times…and I talked to him for a while…and we came to an agreement that he gave me this gift. We’ll see how far it takes me. You know.
JA: And then what?
LT: Basically, I’m 26. I’m a young kid. I’ve got a lot of goals that I think I want to accomplish, that I think I want to see.
I’ve got my mind set on this boxing thing right now. And then, I’ll put myself in a position to do other things—which you know you need money to do things, so. I feel like if I keep winning, the money will come. I’ll keep working hard, stay dedicated to what I’m doing. The doors will open up for the other things I want to venture into.
JA: What are some of those things you’d like to venture into?
LT: I would like to get involved with the neighborhood, the community. You know, help improve some of the activities of the youth. I think we lack the activity that was around when I was a [kid]. I know it wasn’t really much, but when I was young, we used to play “Alley Ball,” alley basketball, vacant lot baseball. You know, I don’t see that too much no more. And it’s really a shame that kids don’t have really nothing to do.
And all of that led me to playing organized baseball or organized basketball. It kept me out of trouble.
JA: Any thoughts you’d like to share with the readers and fight fans?
LT: Come see me fight! I’m a very exciting fighter and I bring something a little different to the game. It’s about smarts. I think it’s about being smart in the ring. And a lot of people say that I’m strong, that I hit hard, but, I’m actually a good boxer, too, and I think very well in that ring. And I’m learning more and more every day. So, come see me fight!
