Ht: 5-11 Wt: 147

DOB: April 26, 1983 In: Philadelphia, PA

First Boxing Memory: ”It goes back…probably watching Oscar De La Hoya or Mike Tyson when I was little.”

Boxing Inspirations: ”Joe Frazier. I grew up in Joe Frazier’s gym. Marvis Frazier. A lot of guys at Joe Frazier’s gym when I started boxing when I was 15. Showed me how hard to work and what it takes to be champ.”

Nicknames: ”My nickname is Machine Gun, I threw a lot of punches in the amateurs.”

Favorite Movies: ”Braveheart, Apocalypto.”

Last Book Read: ”Had to be The Juicing Bible book. Nutrition.”

First Job: ”Had to be handing out pizza brochures to houses around the neighborhood.”

First Car: ”Buick Century 95 (gold).”

Current Car: ”Ford Edge 2008.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: ”Chocolate.”

Greatest Sports Moment: ”Greatest moment of my career so far…pulling out the win in my first fight with (Jesus) Soto Karass (at Cowboys Stadium in 2010).”

Most Painful Moment: ”Breaking my ankle. Jumpin’ over a tree when running. I had to walk back for a mile.”

Funny Boxing Memory: ”Can’t think of one right now.”

Do You Have An Embarrassing Boxing Memory: ”Not that I know.”

Favorite Boxers To Watch: ”Nonito Donaire. Seems like he stays in very good shape. His power is unbelievable at the weight that he fights. His reflexes and quickness are very good.”

Favorite Sport Outside Boxing: ”I like basketball and football about the same.”

Which Fight Were You At Your Best: ”My sharpest performance had to be – I forget the guy’s name. My first fight when I fought in Las Vegas (KO 1 Gilbert Guevara in 2007).”

Strangest Fight: ”I got my hand caught on the rope one time. And got an eight-count from it. As an amateur.”

Toughest Opponent: ”Had to be Soto Karass. Just wouldn’t stop coming.”

People Qualities Most Admired: ”Honesty. Humbleness. Loyalty.”

Ht: 5-9 Wt: 147

DOB: January 31, 1987 In: Garden City, Kansas

Boxing Heroes: “Sugar Shane Mosley, Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins is one of my all-time, and Oscar De La Hoya.”

Nicknames: “They call me Vicious and Junior [laughs].”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “I like to surf, I like to skateboard, I like to mountain bike with my buddies. And just to hang out. I don’t really do much. I’m kind of a party pooper [smiles].”

Early Boxing Memory: “I still remember walking into the arena. I was seven-years-old with a helmet on and my boxing gloves. I was so small the gloves came up to my forearms. And I won that fight. It was cool.”

Last Book Read: “Was, actually, just this morning. I finished it. It’s by Joel Osteen – My Best Time Now. It’s good.”

Favorite Movies: “Cruel Intentions is definitely one of my favorites.”

Favorite TV Shows: “I have quite a few. But Fresh Prince of Bel Air stands out.”

Musical Tastes: “I’m open to all genres – country, rock, 80′s, rap, R&B.”

First Job: “Was working out in corn fields, cleaning corn with some hoes. It was some tough stuff. I was 12-years-old.”

First Car: “Was a Lincoln LS. I was 17, shortly after pro-debuting. Worst investment ever [laughs].”

Current Car: “Is a Toyota Tacoma.”

Childhood Dreams: “When I was a young boy actually boxing was the last thing on my mind. I was actually, I’d sing for the school choir. And I used to do school solos. So boxing wasn’t part of it. My parents left me and everything. I just kind of progressed into this big fighter. And I became very good at it. (Still sing?) Not anymore. I leave that to different people.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “A million thoughts run into your head. All the pros and cons, you know? I stay to my gameplan and listen to my coaches. Believe in them and myself.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Was I became champion for the first time – of North America (TKO 5 Roberto Arrieta in 2008). It was awesome. A feeling you can’t take away.”

Most Painful Moment: “I definitely have to say, probably a month after I lost to Maidana maybe. Yeah. Then again, I didn’t really take that loss like you would a loss, so I can’t really say that. I think the most painful moment for me was probably breaking my hand. My wrist. (Versus who?) It was a sparring session before the fight. Then I went into the fight with a broken wrist. That was a little painful. Other than that, I’m good.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “One fight that will stick with me for a while was Nate Campbell trying to talk to me during the fight. I talked to him right back. He’s like, I’m gonna stop you right now. I’m getting you tired. I’m like, You kidding me?! You’re a three-time world champion, I’m having a blast being in there with you [smiles]. He looked at me like, Goddammit.”

Embarrassing Boxing Memory: “Was first time at The Garden (KO 1 Carlos Maussa in 2007). I won and I went to the rope and whoa! I slipped. I almost fell but caught myself. That was pretty embarrassing.”

Your Best/Finest Performance: “I probably have to say against Antonio Diaz (RTD 7 in 2009). Felt like I did a lot of things right. Considering that in the past I had messed up a lot. But in that particular fight I just did a lot of things correct and right. As opposed to the Campbell fight when I did some things that weren’t right.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “I just like nice people. Anyone that is very nice, just outgoing and doesn’t act like their time is worth too much for someone. That, to me, is like, whoa, that’s awesome. Like I don’t like anyone that acts like their head’s in the clouds. Very cocky. I don’t like that, it bothers me.”

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Education: Cal-State Northridge University BA Psychology.

Age: 43.

Place of Birth: San Francisco, CA

First boxing memory: Getting my ass kicked in sparring in 1996.

Boxing inspirations: Oscar De La Hoya, because he is such a smart business man and has a good heart. Not to mention, style, class and good looks!

Last book read: Reading “Salvador” by Joan Didion. It’s about the civil war in El Salvador in 1982. I hate war, but I have always been fascinated by the politics of war.

First job: Picking strawberries in the fields at 11 years old. It was actually pretty fun, but I knew then I wanted something more out of life.

Current car: Mercedes CLK.

First car: Toyota pick up.

Strangest Fight/Opponent: “…This girl was a nut! She kept taunting me in the ring saying, ‘C’mon bitch! knockout me out bitch!’ Then she’d turn and say, ‘Damn you’re hot [laughs]!’”

Favorite movies: Rocky’s 1, 2, 3, 6, An American Me, Gone With The Wind, Born on the 4th of July.

Greatest boxing moment: All the fights I opened for Oscar De La Hoya.

Most painful boxing moment: The day my trainer Art Lovett died and losing to Brook Dierdorff, twice.

Favorite boxers to watch: All the females of boxing.

Funny boxing memory: Fredia Gibbs, best female fighter ever, we were so crazy, the things we did in boxing… I’ll never tell [smiles].

Embarrassing boxing memory: Peeing in the ring.

Hardest puncher encountered: A girl I easily beat because her skill wasn’t very good, but she hit so hard it felt like I was getting hit by a steel pipe. I still have brain damage from her. I will never reveal her name [smiles].

Toughest opponent: Jessica Rackozy. I thanked God for every round I made it out alive.

Childhood dream(s): To be Rocky Balboa, to live that life.

Strangest fight/opponent: My last fight! I didn’t know if she wanted to kill me or have sex with me. It was very strange.

Favorite meal: After the weigh in! Cheeseburger, fries, Coke and chocolate cake with ice cream.

Favorite ice cream flavor: Chocolate/peanut butter.

People qualities most admired: Charitable, love for humanity, love for learning about the world and one’s own self.

Ht: 5-6 Wt: 147

DOB: December 17, 1978 In: Cabangal, Philippines

Age started boxing: 12.

Early boxing memory: My first fight gave me one dollar. I gave the dollar to my mother.

Favorite all-time fighter: Sugar Ray Leonard.

Pre-fight meal: Rice and fish.

Pre-fight superstition: Pray. Just pray. Pray right before I go to fight.

Typical breakfast: Soup and bread.

Toughest part of being a boxer: When you prepare for the fight. When you train hard.

Last book read: Purpose Driven Live by Rick Warren.

Current Car: Which one [smiles?]

Toughest man faced: There’s a lot. But one of them was the (first Erik) Morales fight. The hardest puncher was Oscar De La Hoya.

What supplements do you take: I can’t tell you that [smiles]. I have a sports store in the Philippines.

If you weren’t a boxer, what would you be: I don’t know. It’s hard to say.

Favorite soccer team: Argentina.

Why Argentina: Because they’re good [smiles].

Best boxer in the sport today: I think from the Philippines [laughs].

Boxing inspiration: Like all my fights, I dedicate this fight to my country. I remember as a little boy I ate one meal a day and sometimes slept in the street. I will never forget that and it inspires me to fight hard, stay strong and remember all the people of my country, trying to achieve better for themselves.
Hobbies/Leisure activities: Playing guitar, chess, basketball, singing.

Nicknames: Manny, Pac Man, The Destroyer.

Favorite movies: My movies.

Musical tastes: Folk, rock, love songs.

Favorite TV shows: My TV shows.

First boxing memory: Hearing Mike Tyson lose to Buster Douglas on radio (age 11).

Pre-fight feeling: Nothing, blank.

First job: Construction worker.

First car: Toyota Corolla.

Favorite meal: Steak.

Favorite ice cream flavor: None.

Funny boxing memory: None.

Childhood dreams: To be a famous boxer. And to finish studies.

Greatest boxing moment: “Winning my first championship (WBC Flyweight – TKO 4 Gabriel Mira in April 1999 in Quezon City).

Most painful moment: Losing my first championship belt. (Lost title on scales because he failed to make required weight of 112. Consequently lost by KO 3 the next day to Medgoen Singsurat in September 1999 in Thailand.)

Worst injury: None.

Favorite boxers to watch: Sugar Ray Leonard. Felix Trinidad. Oscar De La Hoya.

Favorite vacation spot: Beaches in the Philippines.

Embarrassing boxing memory: None.

People qualities most admired: Kind-hearted, good-natured, honest.

Photo Credit: Chris Farina.