Fres Oquendo: A Career Fighter

Two title fights. No title. But after two years off, heavyweight boxer Fres Oquendo brings a new determination to the ring. Are you ready to count him out? We're not.

The life of a fighter is a lonely one. For all the entourage and admiration they may have, there's no one to help them once that bell sounds. Nobody can throw a combination for them - or take part of the pain they'll endure. Or help them up from the blood-strewn canvass after they've been punched in the face so many times that all they know is that they need to get up.

They can't remember their birthday or their mother's name, but they know they need to get up.

And when and if they do, there's an opponent who wants to send them back down to the canvas from whence they came.

George Foreman would tell you that he wasn't always the smiling Christian who wanted to sell you a grill; there was a time when he prayed to send opponents to their graves.

Like Foreman, Oquendo grew up on mean streets where violence was power - and power was all that was valued. Not education. Not staying away from drugs. We're talkin' power - a swift-jab-landed-when-you're-not-looking kind of power. But the Oquendo family wasn't born on the streets of Chicago; they came from the even-tougher streets of Puerto Rico.

Stereotypes tend to indicate that immigrants bring violence and ignorance with them. Oquendo's mother, however, defied that. She brought discipline and love. Oquendo, admittedly, isn't the only champ in his family: His brother is a lawyer. His mother has been a loyal public servant for years. His sister works in a hospital. His younger brother works him hard as one of his trainers. They're all champions.
At least metaphorically.

Taking A Stand

He watched tape of the two championship fights - including every blow he landed - never coming to a reasonable conclusion about why he lost, He couldn't even bear to watch the decision.

Flash back a few years to Oquendo's first championship bout. HBO commentators were suggesting Oquendo was about to take home the IBF championship belt and all it holds - fame, millions, respect. But the judges felt differently, a decision deemd OK by Oquendo. He'd show 'em next time.

Flash to April 2004. Madison Square Garden was the sight of Oquendo's second championship fight, this time against John Ruiz for the WBA title. The ref stopped the fight - saying Oquendo couldn't continue - and declared Ruiz the winner. Oquendo felt otherwise, but had to once again look on as someone else was called "champion" for another day.

Suddenly, it wasn't OK anymore. Here's a guy who's staring down 30, has a wife and kids, and after all expenses, that payout purse from the fight seems awfully miniscule. "How many shots at the title do you get?" Oquendo asked himself. He watched tape of the two championship fights - including every blow he landed - never coming to a reasonable conclusion about why he lost, He couldn't even bear to watch the decision. Finally, he makes a decision of his own: He wouldn't fight again - at least not until he could get out of his contract with legendary boxing promoter Don King, who also was a promoter for both champions he lost against (something Oquendo feels affected the outcomes).

Oquendo didn't realize it at the time, but he wouldn't end up fighting for close to two years.

A Beautiful Ring

It's Feb. 16, 2006 in New York City. It isn't Madison Square Garden, but the Manhattan Center's a start. Oquendo, now down to a ringside ranking of No. 9, enters the ring with all the nerves and some of the rust that a nearly two-year layoff would suggest. He's battling a Brazilian opponent he hardly knows anything about, thanks to a late injury suffered by the man he was actually supposed to fight.

But this is a fairly common problem for a boxer, and thanks to his ranking, Oquendo can't really say no to any fight - especially when it'll take quite a few bouts to earn another title shot, if one comes at all.

The bell rings and Oquendo feels the other fighter out a bit, gets his footwork. Suddenly, it comes back to him, as he throws - and lands - increasingly harder jabs. By the ninth round, Oquendo had accomplished his goal: The fight was stopped without his opponent being hurt. There's a small write-up in USA Today and other papers. Translation: It's a start. His record stands at 25-3, 16 KOs and one step closer to hearing champion and the name "Oquendo" said synonymously.

Oquendo, somewhat content with his performance, allowed himself a small victory party back in Chicago. But there was no resting on his laurels. He trekked to Miami to train for his next opponent. As of press time, the fight was scheduled for this month (May 4) on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period," after which Oquendo has a June 16 fight in Vegas on HBO ("Wounds will just have to heal fast," Oquendo laughs.")

And there will be other fights soon after that. Truthfully, Oquendo not only has to win them all, but he also has to win convincingly. Then, he has to pray he gets a shot at the title, which likely means former manager King will have to give his blessing. In baseball, imagine if the World Series teams were decided according to George Steinbrenner's preferences, not according to the teams that were the best.

Oquendo's Odds

Deep down, Oquendo knows his Everlast gloves might just as well have "Everest" embroidered on them. "I realize how difficult it will be to get another shot at the title from where I'm at," Oquendo says. "But I believe I now have the right team behind me. Having my younger brother in my corner means a lot, and my older brother keeps me motivated. I mean, he's a lawyer. He came from nothing."

His humility - and the fact that he appreciates everything he has - is what a lot of people may not appreciate about Oquendo, says Tom Tsatas, one of his trainers. "The assumption is that all boxers are dumb and angry, and that's just not the case," Tsatas says. "After we win the title, Fres wants to go back to Puerto Rico and help kids use boxing as a way out. Some boxers make promises and then don't deliver. I haven't seen this guy not deliver yet."

But beyond how he'd give back, Oquendo is quick to admit that a championship belt would also hold something just for him. "It's a sentimental feeling to be in the record books," he says, his voice growing just a little bit softer. "To be the world's best at anything … that's my chance to never be forgotten."

What It Takes

1. Start With The Basics
"I highly recommend the heavy bag for four two-minute rounds. Then shadowbox three or four more rounds and add two rounds of the speed bag after that."
- Fres Oquendo.

2. Learn How To Hit
"Hit with your first two knuckles and have your thumb sticking out - always outside your bent fingers,"
- Trainer Tom Tsatas.

3. Practice Proper Positioning
"Stand with your knees bent and chin tucked down. Be on the balls of your feet, instead of your heels, for moving around. When you're facing someone, try to give them less of your body to hit, but you don't ever want to be sideways. Face them, but almost as if you're looking behind them,"
- Tom Tsatas.

4. Gloves Are Only The Beginning
"You also have to hit the jump rope for at least three rounds. And if you want to do it Olympic-style, we're talking three- to four-mile runs in the sand."
- Fres Oquendo

5. What Not To Eat
"I don't eat any fried food, soda or red meat … OK, maybe a good steak once in a while. On the other hand, it's great to eat egg whites, vegetables, fruits and good multi-vitamins. And I always drink two gallons of water, because you're training three times a day. We're talking running in the morning, weight-training midday and boxing in the evening. Trust me, two gallons at least."
- Fres Oquendo