24.10.06 – 2000 Olympian Jerson “SuperJerz” Ravelo (JR) sat down with BestDamnBoxing.com’s CEO Elvi Guzman and Senior Editor, Anthony Santos in what was his first public interview since his October 14th fight with top-ranked Allan Green. It will not take you long to recognize Jerson’s passion for “The Game” and the honesty of a man who seeks victory, not for his selfish benefits, but that of his family.
Among other topics, Jerson expresses his hunger to get healthy and get back to his “old self”, the trials and tribulations he has conquered, and his ultimate goal of becoming the best damn boxer ever. Our two-hour conversation took place at the Hampton Inn and Suites hotel in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
BDB: “Let’s talk about your last fight with Allan Green. That fight was disappointing for you and your fans. What happened that night?”
JR: “I had a bad night. Anyone who saw the fight, saw the skill level of the two fighters and knows who the best one is. Unfortunately, the better fighter had a bad night and it happens.”
BDB: “Tell us about your preparations for that fight:”
JR: “The training was good for the fight. I had good sparring with Ruben Williams, Prince Badi Ajamu, Correy
Johnson, and Raico Suanders.
BDB) ” Where did you train?”
JR: “Vero Beach, Florida at The House of Champions. That training facility is owned and ran by Lou Duva and Gus, who I want to give thanks to allowing me to train there.”
BDB: “What did your corner tell you to do during the Green fight?”
JR: “Throw a straight right-hand and push him back, because he can’t fight going backwards…they told me all the right things, but I just could not execute it.”
BDB: “During the post fight press conference, Green was adamant about you not being on his level. What is your response to that?”
JR: “If he’s so confident that he’s above my level, then fighting me again would be no problem, because he would beat me again. But I doubt he will fight me again, and I don’t mean my next fight because my hand isn’t healthy. I need one or two more fights and we could do it again… if he keeps winning.”
BDB: “What will happen in you fight Green for a second time?”
JR: “What was supposed to happen initially- me winning. I would outbox him.”
BDB: “I see your right hand is swollen, what happened?”
JR: “I broke my hand during the fight. I’m not sure when it happened, but it was swollen and hurting after the fight. I took x-rays and found out it was broken.”
BDB: “How serious is the injury?”
JR: “The doctor said I broke a bone, but I can make a fist. I’m going to see a specialist this week.”
BDB: “Is that going to push back your return to the ring? When will you be back in the gym?”
JR: “I hope it doesn’t and it shouldn’t. I’m going to the gym tomorrow, not punching but working on footwork and
improving my boxing skills.”
BDB: “Who’s your current trainer?”
JR: “Nettles Nasser, he is a very good trainer who is underestimated. He motivates me by training alongside me… he does all my workouts with me; he does that to feel what his fighters feel.”
BDB: “Who is your manager?”
JR: “Gary Gittlesohn, He’s been with me since I was an amateur in 1998.”
BDB: “Who is your promoter?”
JR: “The Tournament of Contenders; they gave me a chance when other promoters where simply trying to use and abuse me.”
BDB: “Who do you want your promoter and manager to set up a fight with in the future?”
JR: “Allan Green and anyone at 168, I can fight at 160, but the fight would have to be meaningful.”
BDB: “Speaking about 160, what do you think about the recent reports of Felix Trinidad making a comeback to the middleweight division? “
JR: “That’s what I mean about a meaningful fight at 160. I would love to fight Trinidad at 160. It’s a fight I’ve always dreamed of since I was an amateur, but it was just a thought being that he fought at 147 when he turned pro…but here we are six years later fighting around the same weight class. That fight would be huge, a Dominican with a large Dominican following versus a Puerto Rican with a massive Puerto Rican following meet at Madison Square Garden. It gives me chills just thinking about it”
BDB: “You mentioned you had a bad night. What happened that night that did not happen in the fights earlier in your career.”
JR: “I’ve changed over the years; because two or three years ago I was out with hand surgeries and back problems. I need to be the Jerson of two or three years ago, the Jerson before the injuries, the Jerson people even got excited to see train. I had three first round knockouts before this fight. I have power and it showed in my last three fights, but I didn’t have a chance to test my boxing skills in those fights. I have fought a total of three rounds in two years. I need to get back to using my jab more and my boxing style. I need to box and make people miss and pay. In my recent fights, I have had too much anger inside because of my recent set backs (injuries, no manager, and problems with promoters) it caused me to get off my game plan. I wanted to hurt people rather than box fighters. I need to box and let the knockout come”
BDB: “Do you feel you have gone backwards instead of forward, since your return two years ago?”
JR: “In the past five years I have, because of my steering away from my game plan of boxing and using my jab.”
BDB: “I’ve been following your career since your amateur days and I know that you have been through quite a-lot for a young fighter.”
JR: “I want people to understand that I have been through pretty much everything a fighter goes through on their way out, when they have several injuries one after the other and have problems getting fights because everyone thinks they’re a done deal, even having to train myself. I’ve been through it all and I’m still here. I want to prove to people that when you have a goal in life, you don’t give up! My goal is to become champion of the world and become wealthy in the process, so I can take care of my family. That’s the way I see my life playing out and loosing the Green fight just tells me I have to work harder to accomplish what is bound to happen.”
BDB: “What do you want to happen next in your career?”
JR: “I need to come back strong and show everyone that was a bad night. I had a bad performance. This was my first meaningful loss and people in boxing know me. I have doubters and believers. I need to prove the doubters wrong and represent for my believers.”
BestDamnBoxing would like to thank Jerson for taking part in this exclusive interview and wish him the best in the future.