Unbeaten Magdaleno tries fresh methods of training

When a boxer is dominating his opponents the way Jesse Magdaleno has done, working on things in the gym sometimes isn't enough.

The undefeated super bantamweight from Las Vegas has focused on conditioning for tonight's scheduled eight-round fight against Jose Silveira at Wynn Las Vegas.

"We did a lot of cardio work for this fight," said Magdaleno (11-0, eight knockouts), who turned 21 on Friday. "I'm running with a parachute. I'm doing sprints through cones. It's different, but it's fun."

Magdaleno's trainer, Pat Barry, said it was good to change up the normal prefight routine.

"He's in the gym day in and day out," Barry said. "We're still getting our work in, but I don't want him to go stale mentally."

Magdaleno said the resistance training with the parachute, a long-standing workout method that many athletes use, is not easy, especially when he's running 100 yards.

"You put that thing on, and it looks easy, but it's hard," he said. "We're trying to develop explosiveness, and running back and forth between the cones has also helped. I feel so much stronger."

It's an interesting way to prepare given Magdaleno's fights usually don't last more than a round or two. His 11 fights have averaged 2.6 rounds, with his past three failing to go past the second.

"I always want to be ready to go eight," Magdaleno said. "You could be facing a tough guy."

Silveira (14-8, six KOs) might be tough. He also might be easy to deal with as he tends to come forward and stay in front of his opponent. That style could be perfect for Magdaleno, who tends to get on top of opponents early and overwhelm them with flurries of punches.

"I feel like I'm tested every fight," he said. "But I go 110 percent, and I don't like to let up."

If all goes well tonight, Magdaleno will be back in the ring Dec. 7 at Texas Station on the same Top Rank card as his older brother, Diego, the reigning NABF super featherweight champion and No. 1-ranked contender who is waiting for a world title shot and might get it in February.

"I don't want (tonight) to be my last fight of the year," Jesse Magdaleno said. "I love it when they keep me busy, so fighting next month on the same card as Diego sounds good to me."

As for the parachute, Magdaleno said he doesn't anticipate using it anywhere but for training purposes on the ground.

"I'm not going to jump out of a plane and go skydiving," he said. "I'm afraid of heights."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.