IN THIS CORNER WITH JERSON RAVELO!

By Jerson Ravelo with Brandon Estrict

If you’re a boxing fan, especially a New Jersey or Dominican boxing fan, then the name Jerson Ravelo should ring bells.
If not, after we ask you what rock you’ve been hiding under, we’ll proceed to tell you all about him.

In 1998, Ravelo, a Newark resident, won a National Golden Gloves Championship at Middleweight and was named Amateur Boxer of the Year by the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He represented the Dominican Republic in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, and though he came up short that summer, he would go on to defeat fellow prospect Jeff Lacy for a Gold medal in the US Challenge Cup.

Since turning pro as a super middleweight in 2001 (he stopped fellow debutant Miguel Gutierrez in one round), Jerson has put together a respectable 20-4 (12) record highlighted by nationally televised fights against such world class opponents as current Super Six contestants Andre Ward and Allan Green.

It’s been quite an up-and-down ride for the 32-year old Dominican that some know as “Super Jerz”. Injuries, broken promises, promotional issues, and all the rest of the usual suspects when it comes to the business of boxing, have kept him inactive and mired in what could soon become the fourth year-long inactivity stint of his career.

With recent whispers of a return date later this summer starting to circulate, GSFS caught up with Jerson to get his thoughts on the happenings in the sport and especially the state.

Not only did Jerson take this time out for us, but he’s also agreed to come on board with GSFS and provide you, the fans, with a bi-weekly boxing blog about the latest developments in his career, his thoughts on things going on around the sport, fight predictions, and maybe even a few past fight and exclusive behind the scenes stories!

Without further adieu, this is the first installment of In This Corner with Jerson Ravelo, exclusively here at GardenStateFightScene.com! The format is simple; Jerson will be provided with 5 random topics every week and will blog his thoughts on them.

What Have You Been Up To and How is Everything

I'm doing ok, but in reality, not how I would want to be doing at this moment. We all have to deal with what life throws at us. There’s not much going on with me these days, just working to get the bills paid. I’m not in the gym, at the moment, due to being exhausted from work every day.

The State of NJ Boxing

I feel that New Jersey boxing is going pretty good, actually. I mean there's not much promoting going on in NJ aside from Pound 4 Pound and Main Events and, of course, when Bob Arum brings his Top Rank cards to Atlantic City. I feel most P4P fighters are being moved the right way and they seem to have promising futures.

Bernard Hopkins vs. Roy Jones Jr. II
The Jones Jr. and Hopkins fight was a circus act. I don't blame Jones for that though. I think Hopkins is just a straight up clown. First of all, he only fought Jones at this stage because he knows Jones has been on a downfall for the last several years. You can believe if Jones had beat Danny Green, that fight would have never taken place!

I sparred with Hopkins for the rematch with (Jermain) Taylor. I was called by Taylor's camp first and I asked if I could get on the card. I was told it was full so I declined the offer, then I received a call from Golden boy to go to Hopkins camp. I asked the same question and received the same answer, so I also declined them.

Then I received another call from Golden Boy and was told that they would get me three fights to get my career back on track. Well that was five years ago and I'm still waiting on the first fight. And that's aside from Hopkins telling me that he was so impressed with the work I gave him in camp that he would fly out to California after the fight and make sure Golden Boy would sign me to a contract. Good thing my life didn’t depend on that, or I would’ve been dead five years ago!

Super-Six

I think any of these fighters has a chance in any fight, especially if the guy has a punchers chance. I personally don't think that Allan Green belongs in the Super 6, but that's just my opinion. I believe when it's all said and done, Andre Ward or Andre Dirrell will end up winning the whole thing.

Closing Message

I'm a fighter. My entire life, this is what I have done since I could remember. After having a great amateur career, being number one in the nation, and topping it off by competing in the Olympics in the year 2000, then making my (pro) debut at the Garden, and building my record to 14-0, I broke my hand, and then everything went south. I was out for two years, and when I came back, I lost my first fight. My promoter at the time (Lou DiBella) released me, and a few months later my contract with my manager was up. It has been an uphill battle for the past 7 ½ years, but I haven't given up on my dream of becoming World Champion, and we'll see where this story ends!

If you’d like to contact Jerson, or you have a few questions for him that you want answered, you can find him on Facebook, or you can e-mail me at BEstrict@hotmail.com.