By: Sean Crose

“I had my first sparring session yesterday,” said super welterweight Justin Figueroa at the start of our phone interview. The 8-0 New Jersey native was already preparing for his next ring battle, which will go down May 11th in Atlantic City as part of Boxing Insider’s card, hosted by the Tropicana. “We’re still working on an opponent,” the fighter admitted, although that didn’t appear to bother him. Indeed, the affable Figueroa wanted to be ready just the same. The fight business is important to the 25 year old, which is why he looks to fight frequently as he climbs the proverbial ladder. Besides, Figueroa is a man who likes his work. “I love what I do,” he said over the phone, “I love training.”

What’s more, keeping busy means Figueroa can always keep prepared. “I’m gonna compete as much as a I can,” he said. “In fact, when he’s not training, Figueroa can be found “Watching a lot of boxing.” As Figueroa would surely admit himself, boxing is nothing if not a 24-hour job. This is especially true for young fighters on their way up through the ranks. Not that Figueroa is afraid to lose or slip on his way towards the top. “Some of the greats,” he rightfully pointed out, “have losses on their record.” Some, like Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, and Joe Louis, even had losses before they won the heavyweight title.

Not that such things mattered to those men – or to men like Figueroa today. ” I would look at is as a lesson,” he said when talking about the possibility of defeat. “I lose all the time,” he added (albeit not in professional prize fights). Sure enough, Figueroa sees a loss as “something to learn from.” It’s a unique and healthy attitude to have in a safety first era that at times can be boring and lacking in real competition. Indeed, it’s Figueroa’s perception of fighting in general which makes him a rather fascinating individual. “You have to be able to fight,” he said, “but you also have to have real charisma.”

Charisma is something the 8-0 fighter certainly isn’t lacking in. He’s an easygoing, friendly guy, Figueroa, but one whose knocked out six out of eight opponents in less than ten professional fights. Appearing on the Boxing Insider card on May 11th in his hometown of Atlantic City will offer Figueroa the chance to showcase that skill and charisma once more in front of local fans. “I’ve fought in Atlantic City six times already,” he said. “It keeps me motivated.” And then some. “I’m looking,” he added, “to bring big time boxing back to Atlantic City.”

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