Interview with the Two-Time Olympian
Unbeaten “Baby Pit” is a bottomless pit of victories.
Los Angeles Matador Rau’Shee “Baby Pit” Warren closed out his team’s final homestand with a shutout victory over Mexico City Guerrero Braulio Avila Monday night at the Avalon Hollywood, keeping his league record unblemished while keeping his team #1 in the ranks.
The latest installment in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) competition featured five action-packed bouts between the top elite in amateur boxing. This new series hit L.A. with a knockout punch; each show I attended was an exciting one with good action on the canvas. I, along with many in the boxing community, are already looking forward to next year’s season.
But in this week’s show, the pride of Cincinnati, Ohio, faced off against Tlaxcala’s Avila under the bright lights of Tinseltown during the “Battle For The Americas: The Brawl To Settle It All.”
While some of the young gladiators in the league may have been put off by the TV cameras under the hot glare of the spotlight, already a veteran in the game, Warren takes it all in stride.
It would be a huge understatement if I described “Baby Pit” as a highly-decorated amateur.
First picking up the gloves at age six, he began training at the same gym that also honed the skills of Hall of Famer Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor. Now 24-years-old, Warren has an astounding amateur ledger of 309-11 and remains undefeated with his four wins in the WSB. His pedigree in the sweet science speaks for itself: He is a two-time U.S. Olympian (Greece 2004 and Beijing 2008), a four-time U.S. champion, an AIBA titlist, in just a few noted credentials I see amidst a boatload of countless other championship trophies, belts and medals accumulated throughout his career.
With his wealth of experience in the squared circle, it’s no wonder why the Ohio warrior was chosen to be the Matador Team Captain. At the helm, he and his teammates have gained all the momentum as the squad faces off against the Miami Gallos Thursday night.
But for Warren, Monday’s match was his final bout before the playoffs and true to his Matador loyalty, Rau’Shee hit his mark in another win for the amateur standout. Fighting five rounds in their bantamweight clash, the Matador knew he had to fight for the victory to keep his team in the #1 spot as they were tied with the tough and hearty Guerreros heading into Monday’s collision.
Fueled by loud chants from the large hometown crowd, Warren showcased his speed and accuracy while looking like the slick southpaw that has garnered him worldwide attention throughout his career. Keeping his hands low, the counter puncher dictated the pace with a true matador’s precision. Midway through the contest there was a nice exchange in center ring with good inside fighting between the pair as the Guerrero began engaging more.
While trading blows to the cheers of the audience, Warren continued to use his effective speed while showing no fear of his foe. Heading into the final rounds, Avila clinched as the “Cincinnati Kid” continued banging hard shots to the head and torso of his opponent, using his jab more and connecting with combinations including a flurry of punches to the body. While the crowd clamored for a knockout, the power puncher was content to let the battle go the distance.
After the sound of the bell, Matador Head Coach Manny Robles lifted his fighter up in victory as fans waited for the official tally. Rau’Shee earned a unanimous decision from judges Tony Crebs, Dr. James Jen Kin and Vince Delgado, who all had it 50-45 for Warren. After his win, Warren showed his sportsmanship while commenting about his ring rival, “He was a great fighter!”
At the time of their bout, Avila was actually ranked three notches higher in the WSB standings and the pair had fought before in 2007. But Warren stayed ahead in beating the beat the talented Mexican fighter, who was the 2010 Central American Bronze Medalist, the 2009 Gold Medalist in the Continental Championships, among many other titles earned in battle.
The speedy southpaw now awaits next week’s announcement of playoff matchups in the WSB. With Warren’s victory, the L.A. Matadors finished the evening 4-1 as a team, defending their #1 ranking among the WSB Americas’ division.
Warren, himself, is now ranked #4 in the WSB and the boxer from the Buckeye State is no stranger to the intense pressure of performing well in international contests. Fighting at 119, the sharpshooter continues to aim for pound-for-pound supremacy.
As he embraced another victory, I had a chance to catch up with the most experienced Matador in this one-on-one conversation.
Greeting Rau’Shee with a fist bump, the lefty was holding a small bag of ice over his right hand. Just another day at the office for the veteran amateur?
“What happened?” I asked the bantamweight.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” he quickly answered. Further assuring me by holding out two fingers and flashing a slight grin, he said, “See? It’s just a little sore. I hit him on the forehead–and he’s got a hard head!”
“Okay, Champ,” I reply with a chuckle as our official interview got underway.
Michele Chong: Congrats on the win, Rau’Shee. You really came out fast in the first two rounds. Tell me what you thought of tonight’s performance overall.
Rau’Shee Warren: I felt good going into this fight; I felt real confident. I knew Mexico was here to take our spot you know, and I take my hat off to them–they came here to play! But playing us at home, we got fans here. We still had to fight our fight, listen to our coaches and do what we do in the gym.
MC: You being a two-time Olympian, many of your fellow fighters have told me they look up to you. Do you think your Olympic experience gives you a huge advantage in this new league?
RW: (Short pause) Uhhh, no not really! I’m real humble. I dared just like they dared. They look at me like a two-time Olympian with more experience but in reality I look at it as, “They want it just as bad as I do!”
We’re all on the same team; we’re all working for the same team. And everybody wants that gold medal! Everybody is working hard every day and on the same level. But a lot of them do respect me, which I take my hat off to but it’s my job to make them feel comfortable.
MC: If you earn a shot at the 2012 London Olympics, tell me what it would mean to you?
RW: It would mean a lot to me–and to boxing. Me being the first Olympian to go back, I feel like I’m a role model for some of the kids coming up that may look up to me. I want to show them that don’t EVER give up on your dreams!
Even though you have a dream, whether it’s the WSB, to go pro or something else, train hard and stay motivated. Once you stay motivated–and humble–and learn how to block out the negativity while you stay focused and continue your dreams.
MC: With your hands kept below your waist and your counter-punching style, you get a lot of Mayweather comparisons. Are you trying to emulate Floyd?
RW: (Laughs) No, I’m just being me. I mean I could be slick; I could fight; I could brawl. I can, you know, play around. But at the end of the day, I go hard.
MC: Thanks, Rau’Shee and we’ll see you in the playoffs.
RW: Thanks!
Look for “Baby Pit” to continue making his mark in the World Series of Boxing while keeping his laser-like focus on the prize across the pond: The 2012 Olympic Games.
Warren wants to make history and compete in an unprecedented third trip to the Olympics.
Will his goal be achieved?
In hockey, scoring three goals is called a “hat trick.”
But if Rau’Shee Warren makes his dreams come true, fans across the universe will take their hats off to the boxer from Cincinnati.
Photo by Michele Chong