Young Magdaleno off to sterling start
From Jesse Magdaleno’s perspective, his first full year as a professional boxer couldn’t have gone better.
The 20-year-old Las Vegas super bantamweight looked impressive in 2011, winning all six of his fights to improve to 7-0 with five knockouts.
On Friday, Magdaleno will look to remain undefeated as he faces Shawn Nichol (5-7, five KOs) to kick off Top Rank’s fight card at the Hard Rock Hotel. Super bantamweights Teon Kennedy and Chris Martin meet in the 10-round main event on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights.”
Magdaleno’s six-round bout, scheduled for 5 p.m., will not be televised.
“Everything was good,” Magdaleno said of the past year. “I have no complaints. I liked keeping busy. It was go, go, go, and I didn’t need a break.”
While Magdaleno has aspirations to fight as a featherweight, he said he plans to spend 2012 competing at 123 pounds.
“As long as I have no problems making weight, I don’t need to be fighting bigger guys right now,” he said. “I’m a small guy. I don’t think there’s a big growth spurt coming soon.”
Pat Barry, who helps train Magdaleno, the younger brother of NABF super featherweight champ Diego Magdaleno, said he’ll be happy if 2012 is a repeat of 2011.
“He’s off to a terrific start,” Barry said. “He’s taking things a lot more seriously now. He realizes this is his job, and he’s becoming more diligent about training and doing things on his own to stay ready.”
Magdaleno has been working the body more in his fights, and it’s proving to be an effective tactic. His last two fights have ended in first-round stoppages.
“In watching some of the top guys, I saw they went to the body a lot,” he said. “I’m trying to be an effective all-around fighter, so I’m keeping my eye open on everything. If I see an opening to the body, I’m going to take it.”
Barry hopes that by the end of the year Magdaleno will be in position to fight for an NABF or NABO belt.
“We need to get him in some 10-rounders first,” Barry said. “But I think once he proves he can handle 10, I can see him fighting for an NABF belt. He’s that good.”
Magdaleno, who never has been past six rounds, is also looking forward to getting longer fights this year.
“I can handle it, no problem,” he said. “I’m always shooting for the stars.”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.