“Trouble” Fights FRIDAY, January 24
Olympic boxer Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale is fighting for WIN #9 THIS Friday, January 24, at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. A victory will add to his unbeaten record of 8-0 with 8 KOs as a pro.
I caught up with the towering heavyweight at Thursday’s Los Angeles media workout held at Daniel Ponce de Leon’s Boxing Gym. Breazeale will be fighting on the undercard of the Antonio Orozco-Miguel Angel Huerta main event on the Golden Boy Live! card, airing on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes. Breazeale (8-0, 8 KOs) will be facing the more experienced Homero “El Oso” Fonseca (10-6-3, 3 KOs) for eight rounds of action.
In the gym, the 6’7″ fighter hit the mitts, aimed at the double-end bag and shadowboxed alongside Antonio Orozco, Julian Ramirez, Manny Robles Jr. and Gerald Washington, who were also showcased at the workout. In his corner was former heavyweight fighter and amateur star John Bray, who has been with the San Gabriel Valley boxer for each of his prized pupil’s eight professional bouts. And even though the gym was teeming with activity, Breazeale still stood out, head and shoulders above the crowd. Easy to do when you stand closer to seven feet tall than most other boxers do. Sporting “Here Comes Trouble” shirts, the team says they’re ready to go.
And Team Trouble is looking forward to a busy 2014 and can’t wait to lace up next Friday night. See below for my VIDEO INTERVIEW with the unbeaten slugger, who was also a football quarterback (University of Northern Colorado) and basketball player. He’s been boxing for over six years now and admits the road to becoming a prizefighter has been a tough transition but the hard work, sacrifice, focus and dedication has seen him fight his way to success.
He credits his wife and family for keeping him focused as he balances being a hands-on dad to three young boys (ages 5, 2 and 7 months). Dominic and his wife Christina are the proud parents of DeAngelo, Devin and Dominic and the boxer jokingly refers to his spirited family of five as the “Sleepless Night Group.”
“We share the duties,” Breazeale says. “My wife is great and a huge supporter of what I do especially since I box six days a week.”
And what if their three young sons grow up wanting to be a pro fighter like their father?
Dom thinks for a second and says with a nod, “I box so they don’t have to…But we will support anything they want to do!”
And Breazeale Sr. will be stepping into the ring this Friday night. He said he’s planning on going eight hard rounds, never underestimating any opponent including his Texas foe, Homero Fonseca.
“I’ve been sparring 12-15 rounds,” the lanky heavyweight told me, “And sparring with Gerald Washington and Deon Elam has been great.” For this camp, they’ve been training at the Glendale Fighting Club.
His coach is confident in his protégé’s skills. I asked well-regarded trainer John Bray what he’s expecting come Friday at Fantasy Springs?
“We expect to win–no doubt,” Bray affirmed. “At this point I look for improvement, his learning in the ring and how he executes what we’ve worked on.”
The trajectory and learning curve has been sharp and quick for the former footballer who continues to get better and better, building on his record and experience as a pro. Outside the ring, he is articulate, polite and down-to-earth. Inside the ropes, the heavyweight boxer goes into beast mode, pulling from the experience of the Olympic competition and his amateur championship fights when he was one of the members of the All-American Heavyweights program.
I first met Dominic and his wife at The Rock gym where the All-American Heavyweights where taking shape. The innovative program took former football players and put them through hard training to transition them into becoming fighters at the highest level. And three years ago, the buzz was already building about Breazeale, who showed star quality back at this Carson gym.
Now this young man and U.S. Olympian hopes to continue punching his way to the top. And he is hoping for another KO performance. “What better way to start 2014 off with a knockout?” Dominic tells me.
Breazeale’s journey continues this Friday night as he fights for his ninth victory as a pro.
Tickets: 800-827-2946
Photos by Michele Chong