"Exclusive Interview with Puerto Rican Boxer Gato Figueroa Jr."
BY: JACKIE DA MODEL
Jackiedamodel@Gmail.com
LIVE INTERVIEW MARCH 27TH
AT
URBAN LATINO RADIO STATION
WE INTERVIEWED GATO TO FIND OUT HIS PERSONAL STORY OF HOW HE BECAME A PROFESSIONAL BOXER ALONG WITH THE SUCCESS AND REALITY OF THE GAME. HE DISCUSSED HIS UPCOMING FIGHT WITH RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV SCHEDULED FOR LAREDO TX MAY 21ST. HE ANSWERED ALL QUESTIONS PERSONAL, AND POLITICAL.
LEARN ABOUT GATO:
www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Figueroa
GATO'S BOXING RECORD:
www.http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=149713&cat=boxer
FUNNY VIDEO CLIP BEHIND THE SCENES:
www.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxfpGKJydaw
AUDIO LINK
www.http://www.sendspace.com/file/2yj1m2
JDM= JACKIE DA MODEL
TD=TONY DELAVORA
GF=GATO FIGUEROA
THE FOLLOWING IS THE INTERVIEW IN ITS ENTIRETY.. COMEDY AND ALL! ENJOY
_____________________________
----INTRO FOR GATO----
TD= IN THE STUDIO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH FORMER LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD-SOON TO BE THE NEXT LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, PUERTO RICAN BOXER GATO FIGUEROA IN THE BUILDING
TD= SO GATO LETS GET RIGHT INTO IT, YOU HAVE A FIGHT COMING UP.. IM GOING TO LET JACKIE LEAD OFF RIGHT NOW JACKIE LETS GO!..
JDM= WE KNOW GATO BUT THE PUBLIC DOESNT KNOW HIM PERSONALLY..GATO TELL THEM ABOUT YOU, YOUR BACKROUND, WHERE YOU COME FROM.
GF= I WAS BORN IN MANHATTAN RAISED IN THE BRONX, THE BOOGIE DOWN BRONX. PEOPLE SAY BROOKLYN IS THE BOROUGH, I DOUBT THAT. ITS DEFINITELY THE BOOGIE DOWN BRONX.
JDM= OH SO WE ABOUT TO FIGHT WHEN THE SHOWS OVER? -LOL-(IM FROM BROOKLYN)
GF= WE DONT DANCE WE BOOGIE IN THE BRONX
JDM= OH OK YOU DO THE ROCKAWAY I GOT YOU ..
GF= YEA SO YOU KNOW I WAS RAISED IN THE BRONX AND IVE BEEN AN ATHLETE ALL AROUND SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN.
JDM= ON THE INTERNET IT SAYS YOU WERE BORN IN SANTURCE, PR..WHY IS THAT
GF= ON BOX REC IF YOU LOOK UP MY RECORDS, THEY PUT THAT THERE..BUT I DONT KNOW HOW. MY FATHER IS FROM THERE MAYBE THAT'S WHY.
TD= SO YOU GREW UP IN THE BRONX BASICALLY? WHERE IN THE BRONX?
GF= BY THE GUNHILL SECTION, WEST GATE KEY WAS POPPIN.
TD= I USED TO PLAY BASKETBALL FOR GUNHILL ROAD BACK IN THE DAYS OUR COLORS WERE THAT MUSTARD YELLOW.
GF= I WAS OUT THERE WHEN SKATE KINGS WAS POPPIN.
TD= OH YOU TOOK IT BACK TO SKATE KINGS
--BRIEF INTERLUDE INTRODUCTION TO IAN FIGUEROA III HIS SON WHO WAS WITH HIM--
JDM= HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO START BOXING?, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START BOXING?
GF= I NEVER LIKED BOXING I WAS ALWAYS A WRESTLER. WRESTLING WAS ALWAYS MY THING, BUT NOT THAT WWE/ WWF TYPE WRESTLING. I SAW THE TITO TRINIDAD AND DE LA HOYA FIGHT AND BEING PUERTO RICAN AND FROM THE BRONX I WAS LIKE DAMN.. I GOT INSPIRED WATCHING HIM. I SAID "DAMN IM AN ATHLETE I CAN TAKE A HIT AND I CAN GIVE A HIT IM FAST ENOUGH I GOT THE COJONES TO DO IT"
JDM= SO YOU JUST STARTED BEATING PEOPLE UP??
GF= NAH WHEN TRINIDAD WON, I WAS EXCITED!..AND THEN MY BEST FRIEND CAME OVER ON A SUNDAY AND HE SAID "YOU WANNA BOX"? I SAID "YEA I GUESS LETS DO IT"..SO MONDAY CAME WE JOINED UP, AND THE TRAINER WAS LIKE "ARE YOU READY FOR THIS"?!. HE LOOKED LIKE MICKEY FROM ROCKY TOO, HE WAS 78 YRS OLD. I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO THE NEXT DAY TUESDAY, BUT I DIDNT GO UNTIL A WEEK LATER. THEN WE STARTED TRAINING AND 7 MONTHS LATER I WON THE TITLE OF NEW YORK CITY GOLDEN GLOVES.
JDM & TD= IN 7 MONTHS??!!
GF = YEP 7 MONTHS.
JDM= THATS HAVING NEVER BOXED BEFORE THAT 7 MONTHS AT ALL?
GF= BEFORE THAT 7 MONTHS I ONLY WRESTLED, DID KARATE AND JUST ALL AROUND SPORTS STUFF.
JDM= THATS IMPRESSIVE, SO YOU KNOW KARATE ALSO? IS IT TRUE THAT ITS ILLEGAL WHEN YOU GET INTO A FIGHT? LIKE LETS JUST SAY A RANDOM BAR FIGHT OR SOMETHING WOULD YOU GET IN TROUBLE LEGALLY FOR FIGHTING PROFESSIONAL?
GF= WELL ALOT OF PEOPLE SAY THAT, AND I DOUBT THAT. THE REASON I DOUBT THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE STREET FIGHT AND YOUR JUST NOT GOING TO JAIL UNLESS THEY PRESS CHARGES. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS IF MIKE TYSON HITS YOU AND YOU KNOW HES MIKE TYSON WHATS THE NEXT THING YOUR GONNA DO?
JDM= SUE
TD= GO TO THE HOSPITAL
JDM= YEA THAT TOO TONY LOL
GF= YOUR GONNA SUE, I THINK ITS MORE AN EFFECT OF.. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO'S LICENSED OR WHAT NOT..IT'S MORE ABOUT WHO HAS MORE MONEY THAN THE OTHER.
JDM & TD= RIGHT -AGREED-
GF= I COULD FIGHT ANYBODY, YOU COULD FIGHT ANYBODY AND THEY WONT PRESS CHARGES..
TD= IM SCARED TO FIGHT
JDM= LOL
TD= BECAUSE NOWADAYS YOU GET SUED FOR EVERYTHING
JDM= THATS TRUE
TD= LIKE IF THE GUY HAD A BLACK EYE HE WILL SUE YOU FOR MALPRACTICE OF THE EYE OR SCRATCHING LOL..ITS TOO MUCH FIGHTS ARENT EVEN WORTH IT ANYMORE
JDM= ID GET SUED FOR MY ATTITUDE..
JDM= WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON PAULIE MALIGNAGGI WHEN HE LOST THAT FIGHT IN TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE HOMETOWN JUDGE?
GF= THATS JUST HOW BOXING IS MA, THERE IS NO ORGANIZED SANCTIONED BODY THERE IS NO VIEWING.. PEOPLE STILL GO OVER THE CALLS. PAULIE GOT A BAD BREAK.. BUT HE CAME BACK AND ENDED UP SHOWING HIS TRUE COLORS AGAIN AND HES DOING A GREAT JOB, AND IM PROUD OF HIM BEING FROM BROOKLYN NEW YORK. I ALWAYS GO FOR MY NY FIGHTERS AND ALWAYS FOR TEAM USA
TD= NOW THAT YOU MENTION THAT, DECISIVELY JUST KNOCK EM OUT.
GF= ITS NOT AS EASY AS IT GOES, THATS DEFINITELY A HARD BALL GAME..IF YOU HAVE A GUY WITH A HARD CHIN YOU'LL BE THERE ALL DAY.
---BRIEF PAUSE.. TD=WE GOT A MESSAGE THAT SAYS "YEA BABY I GREW UP IN GUNHILL PROJECTS" THAT WAS RICH FROM CORRIENTE LATINA.. TD+JDM+GF= JEA JEAAA JEAAA YEA BABAAYYYY!---
TD= SO WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT RECORD?
GF= 20 WINS, 3 LOSSES AND 13 KNOCKOUTS..
TD= AND ONE DRAW
GF= I DONT COUNT THE DRAW
TD= MY BAD!! DIDNT MEAN TO THROW SALT IN THAT WOUND "I DONT COUNT THE DRAW" LOL..
JDM= BACK UP TONY BACK UP LOL
GF= LOL ..NAH BUT I DONT COUNT THE LOSS
TD= DONT YELL AT ME YOU AINT MY DADDY LOL JK
GF = IM ABOUT TO GET THE HAND WRAPS RIGHT NOW
LOL
---BRIEF MOMENT ADJUSTING MICS - CRACKIN JOKES WE WERE LAUGHING BECAUSE DURING THE MUSIC BREAK GATO GOT ALL RNB ON US DANCING AND LIP SINGING AND WE HAVE VIDEO TO PROVE IT!! ---
GF= WHEN I SAY CANT STOP YOU SAY WONT STOP!!!!! (((LIKE AN EMCEE)))
GF= CANT STOP!
TD & JDM= WONT STOP!!
TD= SO GATO IS GONNA BE THE ONLY BOXER IN HISTORY TO DO HIS OWN THEME SONG, PERFORM HIS OWN THEME SONG, PERFORM IT.. AND THEN FIGHT!!
GF= AND DANCE!!
JDM= SO NOW A COUPLE OF RECORD LABELS HAVE HIT ME UP ON MY TEXT .. HAHA JK
TD= LOL I WAS GONNA SAY WHAT THE...
TD= SO YOUR FIGHTING MAY 21ST?
GF= YES MAY 21ST ON ESPN 2 AT 9:00
TD= ESPN DOS... I ONCE HAD A GUY ASK ME IF ESPN 2 WAS SPANISH
JDM= JUST BECAUSE ITS 2?
TD= YEA LIKE ITS MTV2 LOL
TD= SO WHOS THE GUY YOUR FIGHTING?
GF= HIS NAME IS RUSLAN PROVIDNIKOV .. RUSSIAN CAT
TD= WHAT?..POP PO WHO??
JDM= PROVIDNIKOV ! LOL
GF= LOL
JDM= SHTODOKOY??
TD= ARE YOU OBLIGATED TO KNOW YOUR OPPONENTS NAME LIKE THAT? HOW DO YOU EVEN SAY POOK KLAK PO ,, WHAT!.. HOW DO YOU EVEN SPELL THAT??
GF= IM A GOOD SPELLER IM VERY INTELLIGENT
TD= AND YOUR PUERTO RICAN?
GF= YES A SMART PUERTO RICAN
TD= I CONSIDER MYSELF A SMART PUERTO RICAN I DONT KNOW IF I CAN SPELL PRO POK PO WHATEVER
JDM= THE ONLY REASON I CAN PRONOUNCE IT IS BECAUSE OF WORKING IN HEALTHCARE
-----MORE JOKES ON THE NAME.... BACK TO INTERVIEW ----
TD= SO YOU HELD 2 BELTS?
GF= THREE
TD= YOUVE HELD 3 BELTS IN A SHORT SPAN OF HOW MANY YEARS?
GF= 4 YEARS..3 OR 4 ONE OF THOSE TWO
TD= YOUR AVERAGING LIKE A BELT A YEAR
GF= YOUR RIGHT IVE ONLY HAD 16 AMATEUR FIGHTS AND I TURNED PRO AT 25
JDM= YOUR SON IS SHAKING HIS HEAD NO .. LIKE YOU LIAR!.. LOL
GF= I DID .. THE FIRST BELT WAS NYC STATE TITLE, THE SECOND WAS WBC LATIN AMERICAN MUNDO HISPANO, THE THIRD WAS NABF NORTH AMERICAN BOXING FEDERATION TITLE..
TD= NOW THIS FIGHT IS SPECIAL BECAUSE?..
GF= THIS ONE IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IM FIGHTING FOR TWO BELTS SO FOR TWO RANKINGS. THE 2 BELTS ARE AN NABA TITLE WHICH IS IN THE IBF DIVISION, AND IM FIGHTING FOR THE WBO ASIA PACIFIC TITLE WHICH IS WBO ORGANIZATION AND WINNING THESE BELTS WILL PUT ME IN A TOP 5 IN THE IBF AND ALSO IN THE WBO. SO FOR ME ITS MORE ABOUT THE RANKINGS THAN THE BELT. THE BELT IS JUST AN AWARD FOR COMPLETING A TASK.
TD= ABSOLUTELY, IM GOING TO ASK YOU A SERIOUS QUESTION.. BOXING IS NOTORIOUS FOR NOT GETTING THE FIGHTS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE, THIS IS SOMETHING THATS EFFECTED ME .. YOU NEVER SEE PEOPLE FIGHTING IN THEIR PRIME.. WHATS THE BIG MOUTHS NAME??
GF= MAYWEATHER
JDM= LOL MONEY MAYWEATHER
TD= AND THE SMOKE CIGGARETTE DUDE???
GF= MANNY PACQUIAO
TD= WHOS MAYWEATHER FIGHTING NOW?
GF= SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY
TD= THOSE 2 SHOULD BE FIGHTING (MAYWEATHER AND PACQUIAO) .. MAYWEATHER SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY THATS NOT THE FIGHT PEOPLE WANT RIGHT NOW.. MAYWEATHER DOESNT HAVE A PROBLEM TELLING PEOPLE HES THE BEST WOULD YOU AGREE GATO?
GF= I AGREE
TD= HE CHANGED THE RULES WITH THIS BLOOD TESTING THING TO FIGHT PACQUIAO .. BC THE SUSPICION IS THAT PACQUIAO HAS BEEN GETTING STRONGER AND KNOCKING PPL OUT SO HE MUST BE ON SOMETHING
BOOGIE (DJ) = HE HIT THE DUDE 1,217 TIMES THERES SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT
TD= SO BASICALLY MAYWEATHER IS SAYING THERES NO WAY YOUR THAT GOOD IN JUST A FEW YEARS..
BOOGIE= TONY THROW 1,217 TIMES AND CONNECT !.
TD= IS IT HIS FAULT OR THE PERSON WHO HE WAS HITTING'S FAULT.. GATO YOUR OPINION??
GF= DEEP SIGH..
WE ALL LAUGH
GF= IM A BIG SUGAR SHANE MOSLEY FAN AND I THINK HES A POUND FOR POUND CHAMPION AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION REAL FAST .. THE SPORT OF BOXING IS ALL MONEY. THATS WHY EVEN THOUGH THE PEOPLE WANNA SEE A FIGHT.. THE PEOPLES FIGHT SOMETIMES DOESNT INCLUDE MONEY. LETS JUST SAY MAYWEATHER BEATS SUGAR SHANE THEN I WOULD THINK MAYWEATHER IS THE SMARTEST BUSINESS MAN IN ALL OF BOXING HISTORY BC IF HE TURNS DOWN A 40 MILLION DOLLAR GIG.. EVERYONE WOULD SAY HES BUGGIN.. BUT IF MAYWEATHER BEATS SUGAR SHANE IN A GREAT FASHION THAT 40 MILLION WOULD TURN INTO ASTRONOMICAL NUMBERS.. AND THEN WHO WOULD BE THE SMARTEST ONE IN THE GAME.
JDM= WHOA!
TD= SEE ON THIS SHOW WE DONT CUT CORNERS I ASK QUESTIONS AND IF IM WRONG ILL SAY IM WRONG.. NOW IN MY OPINION I THINK HE SHOULD FIGHT PACQUIAO BC HE IS ONE OF THE BEST FIGHTERS ON THE PLANET RIGHT NOW DOIN WHAT HES DOIN
GF= WELL MAYWEATHER AND PACQUIAO ARE DEFINITELY BOTH TICKET SELLERS
TD= WHAT IF ANOTHER 2 YEARS PASSES AND SOMEONE ELSE STEPS IN THE RING TO BEAT PACQUIAO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE PACQUIAO TO FIGHT MAYWEATHER ? THE FIGHT WONT HAPPEN!.
GF= THEN THAT MEANS MAYWEATHER IS ONE OF THE STUPIDEST BUSINESS MEN IN THE WORLD
TD= OH SO NOW WE HAVE A FLIP SIDE TO THE COIN
GF= YEA THERES ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO THE STORY
TD= SO IF HE DROPS THE BALL HES IN THAT POSITION TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DROPPING THE BALL.
GF= OH YES, EITHER WAY MAYWEATHER WILL ALWAYS HAVE HIS OWN FIGHTING STYLE. NOW ITS JUST A MONEY SITUATION. EITHER HE WINS OR LOSES THE MONEY SITUATION. NOW MOST FIGHTERS WOULD WANT THE MONEY. BEING THAT YOUR NOT IN THE POSITION OF MAYWEATHER AND AS AN AVERAGE AMERICAN YOU JUST WANT TO SEE A GOOD FIGHT. BUT.. IF YOU WERE IN THE POSITION OF MAYWEATHER YOU WOULD BE LIKE DAMN..IF I BEAT SUGAR SHANE I WILL SEE MORE MONEY THAN ANY BOXER IN YEARS TO COME..AND IN THE YEARS THAT PASSED
THIS ENTIRE INTERVIEW CAN BE HEARD VIA AUDIO LINK ABOVE OR EMAIL JACKIEDAMODEL@GMAIL.COM
WWW.URBANLATINORADIO.FM
LA ESQUINA RADIO SHOW AT URBAN LATINO RADIO STATION AIRS EVERY SATURDAY FROM 3 TO 6PM EST.
PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SHOW AND STATION ON TWITTER.COM
@JACKIESPEAKS247
@TONYDELAVORA
@LAESQUINARADIOSHOW
@URBNLATINORADIO
FACEBOOK CONTACTS:
www.facebook.com/jackiedamodel
www.facebook.com/pages/LaEsquina-Radio/112600742095551?ref=mf
www.facebook.com/pages/Brooklyn-NY/Urban-Latino-Radio/138390796740?ref=ts
No comments:
Post a Comment