Minnesota Boxing News: Vicente Alfaro, Danny Figueroa

ALFARO, FIGUEROA, IN ACTION TONIGHT
By Jesse Kelley
June 10th, 2010

The Hasting's Boxing Club will be well represented tonight at the Saint Paul Armory as Vicente Alfaro (2-0) and Danny Figueroa (3-0) both see action.
Alfaro (pictured above) will be taking on Jake Backus in a rematch bout. The Mexico City native won an exciting four round unanimous decision in the first meeting last October in his pro debut.
Alfaro still remains a mystery to most Minnesota boxing fans but was a little star during his amateur boxing days in Mexico. Following in his father's footsteps, Alfaro picked up boxing at an early age as he would go on to establish a stellar record against tough competition which he says included wins over former national champion Marcos Hernandez and former professional world champion Jhonny Gonzalez ( now 44-7 as an active pro). Vicente moved to the US about 7 years go and took almost 6 years away from the sport of boxing until finding Hasting's Gym owner and trainer Fernando Ortiz.
Shortly after meeting Ortiz and training mere weeks, The two headed to the National Ringside tournament where he placed first in the novice division. After 1 other amateur bout, Alfaro turned pro.
Alfaro turned heads in his second pro fight with a big win over Former Olympian Ron Siler in Siler's hometown. Alfaro was convincing in the win, knocking the hometown fighter senseless and leaving the judges no choice but to give him the decision.

" We didn't know anything about him (Siler), just that we were ready to take anybody on that night" said Alfaro.
Coach Fernando Ortiz added: "We started out real good, we were faster then him. It was obvious we had better skills even though he was a former star. The guy started to come on in the second and third round so we decided that instead of boxing with him, that we would take the fight to him and go for the knockout. Every time we landed the right hand, it stung him. The fourth round is when we landed that big shot. The guy was wobbly, real wobbly after the knockdown. The referee helped him get up. He gave him a big break and then started counting after this big break. Ron Siler is a big star, a big showtime contract so the ref gave him a big break. I don't know what the referee was thinking because he could have gotten hurt. He was real hurt and did nothing but survive until the end."

Now Alfaro is set to face action fighter Jake Backus tonight, a rematch in which both he and Backus made their pro debut's against each other last October. When asked why he is facing Backus again, Aflaro and Ortiz said that although Backus is tough, they were forced to have the rematch because nobody else was interested in stepping in.
" I'm not worried about past fights, I am only worried about the next fight. It doesn't matter who it is against because everybody in there has two hands. They are preparing at the same time that we are preparing. I know his style and we have been working on that a lot. I believe we can over power him. I think we can stop him around the second or third round." Said Alfaro. "The other fighters lacked the courage to step up. Jake is the only fighter willing to step up. We know of all those guys, Antwan Robertson, Brad Patraw but non of them want to fight us. We are begging all these guys to step in but non of them want to fight"

FIGUEROA SET TO BATTLE OROZCO
June 10th, 2010

21 year old Danny Figueroa (3-0, 2 KO's) will face 22 year old spoiler Hector Orozco (2-5) in another rematch bout. Figueroa and Orozco also fought last October with Figueroa winning a three round decision when a cut that was ruled a headclash left him unable to continue. Figueroa came away from the bout feeling he won the fight, but also a respect for Orozco because of his toughness.
" Hector is a strong fighter, a really good fighter. I don't know what else to say other then he is a good fighter. We are more prepared now for Hector. Before all we knew was that he had all these losses. But I am in better shape now and more prepared for him this time. We were winning the first time before the headbutt but it was still a close fight. We are much better prepared now."

Figueroa had a short amateur career before turning pro, having only around 15 or 16 fights but he also won the 2008 National Ringside tournament in the novice division at 160 pounds. Figueroa has since shed some pounds, competing at welterweight in the pro ranks. But Figueroa says he is going to continue to work hard, and continue to work his way to what he feels is his best weight of 135 pounds where he can challenge the states top fighters at that weight.

"My last fights were at 145 and 147, after this, I want to fight at 135 pounds. I will fight anybody, anybody out there but first I need to lose the weight in a good way. I gotta be on weight and be in top shape first. We want to look for Tony Lee if he's available, also Gary Eyer, just all the top fighters out here. And why not? Minnesota deserves those kinds of fights. Boxing is not easy, boxing is a hard sport. It's not just about punching hard, you need to learn how to box also and that's what I am hear to do."

Figueroa made light of his chances when asked to make a prediction going into his fight tonight with Orozco, but also maintained seriousness and respect for the man he will be facing.
"I think I am going to kill him (laughing)! But seriously, I am working really hard. I know he's a really good fighter so it's not going to be easy. Everybody I face is going to be working real hard so I need to be ready. I know Hector is not going to be easy. We will see what happens Friday night. "