North Bergen resident Jonathan Maicelo is accustomed to being a massive draw. All 13 of his professional bouts have taken place in front of adoring fans in his native Peru and hundreds of thousands more have viewed his fights on YouTube. Best described by Manager Nelson Fernandez as “a fighter who lives to entertain the crowd”, the always confident Maicelo enters uncharted territory on Saturday when he battles Oscar Cuero at Washington School in Union City, NJ.
The bout will be televised in his homeland and a preview series similar to HBO’s 24/7 has been airing to hype his American debut. I had the opportunity to catch up with Maicelo, who is putting the finishing touches on his preparations for the ten round showdown.
Matt Yanofsky: This is your first time fighting in America, which is thousands of miles away from your native Peru. How are you feeling leading up to your first bout?
Jonathan Maicelo: I feel pretty good and although my training here in the USA for this fight has been only 3 weeks I'm in great condition.
MY: In Peru, you have fought in front of thousands upon thousands of fans on multiple occasions. Your fight Saturday is as a small venue. Many view you as a crowd fighter. Will the smaller crowd perhaps take away some of your in ring pizzazz?
JM: Remember that although I am going to fight in a small venue I have the responsibility in front of all of my very critical fans in Peru of everything I do inside and outside the ring but I will give a good account of my fight not only to the American fan in the USA in the arena but all of my fans back home in Peru.
MY: What has life been like for you living and training in New Jersey? Do you like it here or are you homesick?
JM: This is my second time around here in New Jersey and I'm living in an apartment with 3 other fighters that are not only my friends but we get along very well and I love them dearly and yes, I love the USA and I shall stay here to continue my career become a world champion with the best boxing trainers and the best manager in the world.
MY: America is regularly referred to as the "Land of Opportunities." What opportunities have you had here or you expecting that may not have come in Peru?
JM: The "Land of Opportunities" is going to create new markets for me as well as new fans, a better future for me and my family, and climb in the world rankings as a boxer that would have been very, very difficult in my country, Peru.
MY: What do you know about your opponent Oscar Cuero?
JM: I know he is very strong and likes to go toe to toe but I do not like to fight my opponents fight I like to fight my fight establish my rhythm, impose my will and I shall finish him because what I want in my first fight here in the USA is to start with a KO.
MY: Currently, you are the WBC Latino lightweight champion. Do you plan on defending that belt or fighting for different titles in the near future?
JM: I would love to defend my title here in the USA but I would also like to fight for other titles as well but that is the job of my manager Nelson Fernandez who knows when, where and with whom I should fight in the future.
MY: You live in North Bergen with three of your stablemates Juan Zegarra, Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Tamara. Zegarra and Zambrano are both from Peru and are extremely serious about their career, while Tamara was recently a world champion. How does living in this kind of environment help your career?
JM: As I had said before Zegarra and Zambrano we all know each other since we were kids and we love each other but more than love is our respect for each other and as they are serious about their career so I'm I.
Carlos Tamara and I speak daily at length and he has given me a lot of good advice but we also speak a lot about boxing strategies he has been like a teacher, professor to me outside the ring since we met each other he is tremendous.
MY: What can all the local fight fans who haven't seen you expect this Saturday and beyond?
JM: They are going to see Maicelo the fighter that first conquered my city of Callao (with my style of fighting) and then with all that same intensity, dedication and guts conquered the rest of my country who I love very dearly EL PERU.
Editors Note: Special thanks to Nelson Fernandez for translating the interview.
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