By Jeff Zimmerman
Patience may finally pay off for featherweight Eddie Vazquez (8-0, 1 KOs) out of Fort Worth, Texas, as he battles Irvin Gonzalez (14-2, 11 KOs) this Saturday, November 28 at Staples Center Los Angeles, as part of the showcased exhibition between two of the boxing’s biggest stars in the legendary Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. and also includes former pro basketball player Nate Robinson versus Internet sensation Jake Paul. The event is being promoted by Triller and shown live on pay-per-view. Vazquez and Gonzalez will square off for the USNBC featherweight title.
In the year of a global pandemic, the world has been turned upside down. And for a fighter like Vazquez who’s trying to take his career to the next level, 2020 has really tested his will to fight during these unprecedented times.
Vazquez went through several training camps as fight after fight got scrapped sometimes at the last minute, due to COVID, and watched as they moved the Tyson-Jones card from an initial September date to this Saturday.
“It was four fights to be exact and then the Tyson-Jones fight got pushed back not cancelled,” explained Vazquez, “But I got the other fight in September so that training camp didn’t go to waste, but the other four, it was training camp after training camp, four times in a row starting in March. They ended up cancelling the show the day before when I was supposed to fight in Rhode Island due to COVID, but my opponent pulled out 3 days earlier as he hurt his shoulder.”
The even keeled Vazquez tried to keep a positive outlook and was even in the now famous “Bubble” at the MGM in Las Vegas, when one of his fights was called off.
“We just stayed in the gym, stayed busy,” Vazquez said. “They called us for Anthony Chavez in California and we were excited about that fight on a Top Rank card and that fight fell through as he tested positive a week or two out. Then I was supposed to fight Luis Melendez from Florida on a Top Rank card and we got all the way out to The Bubble in Vegas and literally the day of the weigh-in, hours before, he tested positive for COVID.
“And all that went to shit and for a while I was down after four fights in a row. It’s not hard to stay motivated, because I love what I do, but it’s hard to continually bust ass all the way up to the weigh-in and then it falls through. Then we got the call that Tyson-Jones was being moved until November 28, not good, five fights in a row.”
Lucky for Vazquez and with the help of his promoter he finally landed a fight in September.
“My promoter, John Anderson, said ‘don’t worry I’ll make something happen’ and he made the fight with Adan Ochoa in September and we got that under our belt and got all the ring rust off and motivated again,” said Vazquez. “I’m glad I got in rounds with Ochoa before I have this fight for the USNBC title.”
Vazquez is now primed to fight Gonzalez, who is someone he has been tracking for quite some time.
“I have been wanting to fight him for a couple years,” admitted Vazquez. I know that he likes to be a bully fighter and talks a lot of shit and he’s riding this high horse and he’s not the most disciplined outside the ring and that’s all going to come into play.
“It will be good exposure and to show my skills to the world and seize the opportunity, it has been a long time coming, 18 years, and this year feels like it has been the longest year of my life, but we’re going to get it done and it’s going to be a great year and a great finish.”
Vazquez continued, “I don’t know how long my opponent has been fighting, nor do I care, but I feel like my experience in the amateurs and being around boxing in general is going to pay a big dividend in this fight. I have studied a lot of great fighters and have been around a lot of great ones and feel like it’s going to play a big role here.”
Vazquez is also super confident with Coach Ray Ray in his corner, who happens to be the brother-in-law of former 2x world champion Paulie Ayala, a Fort Worth native as well.
“Coach Ray Ray has been the biggest blessing to me over the last four years,” stated Vazquez. “I started off my career with Vincent Reyes and I was with him for 14 years. When I decided to go with Coach Ray Ray, he had full confidence in my ability and gave me that extra push to go to the next level. I think having a coach with that amount of confidence in you, gives you that confidence to take risks. That’s what Coach Ray Ray is all about.
“He doesn’t dodge anybody and he’s not afraid to fight anybody and believes in the hard work you put in the gym. He’s fully dedicated, seven days a week, and if you need him to be there, he will be there 24/7. He’s an old school boxing trainer. You don’t get a lot of guys that are all about boxing 24/7 and that’s what Coach Ray Ray is. I’m very thankful.”
Vazquez also believes the “Bubble Experience” served him well in Vegas with this fight Saturday in the enormous Staples Center without fans.
“It was a unique experience, but at the same time, it was a good thing,” shared Vazquez. “I could hear my coach a lot more fighting in the bubble, I can hear instructions, less distractions, less pressure, not only that, I could hear the other coach giving instructions. I’m a real analytical fighter, I could also hear his breathing better.
“I could hear what his coaches are telling him and when their coaches are telling him to do something and he’s not executing that game plan, that lets me know he’s kind of checked out. And for me being such a young fighter, early in my career, going out to Vegas and now going to the Staples Center without thousands of people there, it’s a good opportunity to stay focused and not let the pressure get to me. It lets me get my feet wet in those big arenas and when the time is right to go back in there when I’m familiar with the location and territory and when there’s a crowd I will be more comfortable.”
Vazquez would love nothing more to one day bring a big belt back to Fort Worth and follow in a long line of great fighters that hailed from there including the likes of Donald Curry, Paulie Ayala, Gene Hatcher and Stevie Cruz.
“It would mean the world to me and it has always been my dream since I was a kid,” Vazquez said. “I remember as a kid my whole family would all get together for world title fights – Vargas vs. De La Hoya or De La Hoya vs. Trinidad – we would get together to watch those fights. It has always been a dream of mine, for my family, to watch me fight for a world title.
“I remember when Paulie Ayala was a world champion and he brought that title home to Fort Worth. It was huge. There were parades and it brought a lot of hope to Fort Worth for upcoming fighters and people always say, “boxing is a sport for the poor,” so it gave a lot of inspiration to kids like me that it’s possible.”
“And I’m still chasing it today and I still use those memories as inspiration that I can make that happen,” continued Vazquez. “If that is something I can do, to give back to my city, it would be great, if I could bring the title back to southside Fort Worth, going through hard times. They don’t have a lot of inspiration, a lot of outlets, so I would like to bring it back to my side of the city and show that no matter where you’re from and what circumstances you come from, it’s definitely possible. I’m not going to stop until it happens and I’m willing to give every single bit of my body to make that happen.”
Vazquez was as shocked as anyone when he got the call to fight on boxing’s biggest stage with two living legends in Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., but don’t expect him to get starry-eyed as he’s there to handle business and put himself in line for bigger and better fights in the future in front of packed houses.
“It was really unexpected,” said Vazquez. “I never expected in a million years to fight on a Mike Tyson, Roy Jones card, especially in 2020 and with all the fight cancellations going on and COVID. It’s exciting and I try to keep a level head. I try not to let the highs, get too high. I have learned from my peers and guys coming up that get on the big stage and mark it off their list before the fight even happens.”
The patience could finally pay off in a big way for Vazquez Saturday night and although he is ready to go, it’s hard not to get excited with the big names on the card.
“I just try to focus on my guy and my fight only, and don’t let it get too much into my head. But I’m excited to share the ring with all the celebrities and Mike Tyson and Roy Jones of course.”