Jose Rivera fighting Michel Trabant for World welterweight title

04.09 - WORCESTER, Mass. - Boxing's best-kept secret, "El Gallo" Jose Antonio Rivera, departs Friday for Germany. This is no European vacation, though, for the 30-year-old professional boxer. He is on a mission to capture the World Boxing Association welterweight championship against unbeaten Michel Trabant.

Trabant (38-0, 18 KOs), the 25-year-old European welterweight champion who will be fighting in his hometown of Berlin, and Rivera (36-3-1, 24 KOs), of Worcester (MA) via Puerto Rico and Philadelphia, are fighting for the WBA title that became vacant when Ricardo Mayorga defeated Vernon Forrest to unify the World Boxing Council and WBA crowns. Mayorga was upgraded to "Super Champion" and the WBA mandated a title match between its top two contenders No. 2 Thomas Damgaard and No. 3 Trabant (No. 1 is vacant).

When Damgaard's promoter, Team Palle, failed to meet a WBA-imposed deadline to stage the fight, the WBA matched Trabant against the next-in-line challenger, No. 4 Rivera, while mandating the Trabant-Rivera winner must face Damgaard within 120 days of the fight.

Rivera doesn't have any complaints about fighting Berlin homeboy Trabant in his backyard. "I have no problem with it," Jose said about fighting Trabant in Berlin. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to win the world title. Nobody said fighting for the world championship would be easy. I know he doesn't have a typical European style. He works the body good and this should be a great fight."

A virus cancelled Jose's last scheduled fight this past February and he hasn't fought since July 27 2002, when he stopped Elias Cruz in the second round. "I'm not worried about ring rust," Jose remarked. "I'm in great shape and have been working out for months. I'm fighting for the ultimate prize -- the world championship. I've always hoped to get this opportunity. Many great fighters never get a title shot and I'm very fortunate. I believe I'm one of the top welterweights in the world. This is the first step in terms of achieving my goal, but I'm not looking past this fight."

Rivera, a single father, will be fighting for his 10-year-old son, Anthonee. "He's always been very supportive of me," Rivera added. "Sometimes I'm not there with him as often as possible because of training, but he'll be with me in spirit for this fight. He is a big motivator because my dream is to buy a house for Anthonee and me.

"I'd like to thank God for watching over me, not just in boxing, but in life. I'd also like to thank those most essential in my boxing career - my manager, Tank (Steven Tankanow), trainers Carlos Garcia and Luis 'Chico' Lopez, attorney Anthony Cardinale, promoter Don King, family and all my fans."

Rivera rides a six-fight win streak into the Trabant match, including an NABA welterweight title fight decision in 12 against Pat Byrd, as well as a pair of successful championship defenses versus former WBA & WBC light welterweight champ Frankie Randall (TKO10) and Bobby Heath (TKO6). Jose also holds a 10-round decision against current NABF welterweight champion Teddy Reid.

"God must feel I'm ready to send me to fight in the Lion's Den," the religious Rivera concluded. "This is what I've been waiting and working so hard for. I've always wanted to be a world champion."

Even if fighting an undefeated German in Berlin is the way he has to do it.