By Ricardo Ibarra
Three years into his professional career, jr. lightweight Giovanni Cabrera Mioletti (16-0, 7 KOs) will step into his biggest fight to date on Friday as he takes on 2008 Ecuadorian Olympian Luis Porozo (14-0, 7 KOs) at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington.
The battle between the undefeated fighters is the opening bout for a tripleheader “ShoBox: The New Generation” event showcasing heavyweight prospects Jermaine Franklin and Otto Wallin in separate contests.
The twenty-four-year-old Cabrera Mioletti, who had an outstanding amateur career in both the U.S. and Mexico, is looking for a signature win against Porozo. In January of this year, Cabrera notched his most notable victory so far, scoring an impressive third round stoppage over former world title contender Antonio Escalante. His last four wins have ended within the distance, with his most last victory coming against Filipino banger Recky Dulay, who refused to come out for the fourth round.
He’ll have his toughest challenger in front of him Friday, but it’s a challenge his promoter Brian Halquist believes the young fighter is more than capable of handling.
“He’s the most conditioned athlete I’ve ever worked with,” observed Halquist. “He has a tremendous work ethic and a tremendous heart. Out of any kid that I have signed, I have never had a fighter this special, and I had (Greg) Haugen, (Joe) Hipp, (Chad) Van Sickle, (Kenny) Ellis, and a lot of other good fighters through the years. This fight will be his coming out party. We already know that he has the potential to be a superstar and the whole world is going to see it Friday!”
Cabrera Mioletti spoke with FightNews as he put in his final preparations in training camp.
How’s training?
Training has gone well. I’m really focused on my nutrition right now. I’m getting deeper and deeper into all aspects of boxing and one of them is how you rest and diet and its truly having a great effect. I’m able to train harder and work on sharpening my tools. I feel in phenomenal shape for this fight.
What do you know about Porozo?
He was on the Ecuadorian Olympic team and made it to the semi-finals and lost. He has a lot of amateur experience. He believes that he’s going to win. I take that into consideration because he’s undefeated just like I am. But he’s never faced a fighter like me!
Considering his amateur experience and – like you – he is an undefeated pro, are you preparing differently for his level of opposition?
Definitely. He knows that if he beats me, it’ll move him closer to where he wants to be. And for him that’s a big risk, to fight someone like me. I respect him for that, but sadly for him, it was the wrong choice to make. I’m going to give him his first loss.
So, you’re coming into this fight with absolute confidence that you’ll come out with the victory?
Not once in my career has it crossed my mind that I would lose. I know what I have. I have more in my arsenal, and I know I’m a much more creative, tricky fighter. May the best man win you know, but I don’t see any way this guy beats me.
What will a win on ShoBox mean for your career?
I want to be respected and remembered as one of the best boxers in the game who not only is a good boxer on paper but gives fans an entertaining fight. I want to be a people’s fighter. Fighting guys like Luis Porozo is how you get there. I want to show everything that I have in this fight. I can box, I can brawl, I’ve got the fancy footwork, I can do it all. I will put that on display on ShoBox and in front of my fans at the Emerald Queen Casino.
Are you satisfied with the progression of your career?
Yes. I have good people around me that care about me and they stay on my back, kicking my ass every day in the gym. They’re never satisfied, and neither am I because we understand the reality of the situation. The time is now.
How does it feel to be the opening bout on ShoBox?
I’ve never been more excited for a fight. I’m ready to execute my plan and do what I was meant to do. You can expect a beautiful display of boxing. Footwork, head movement, punching ability. You’re going to see a matador do what he does best.
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The ShoBox telecast will also feature a duo of ten-round heavyweight contests with Jermaine Franklin (18-0, 13 KOs) taking on Jerry Forrest (25-2, 19 KOs) in the main event, and WBA #5 and IBF #11 ranked Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) squaring off with BJ Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs) in the co-main event.
Tickets to Brian Halquist Productions ‘Battle at the Boat 122’ show are available at the EQC box office and all Ticketmaster locations. Doors open at 5:30p with the first ShoBox televised bout set to start at 7p. For more info, visit www.halquistproductions.com or the ‘Battle at the Boat’ Facebook page.