By Hans Olson

I would like to be a World Champion one day, speaks Joselito Collado with conviction. “At the Olympic Trials I fought Juan Manuel Lopez and I gave him two standing 8-counts. I thought I won…but they gave it to him. He beat me by one point…”

Intrigued yet?

Joselito Collado was born on September 18th, 1982 in the Dominican Republic . A month after he was born he moved to New York City ; first Brooklyn, then Queens . Even with family life settled, things were not always easy. Joselito found himself fighting his way through school, constantly finding himself in brush-ups with classmates. This was all to the ire of his mother.“I used to fight everyday, get suspended in school…that’s how I got into boxing. My mom said ‘you keep on fighting; I’m going to put you in the gym!’ ” Boxing fans may one day be forever grateful to Ms. Collado.

On March 5th, Joselito Collado will face South Korea ’s Dong-Chul Yun on the undercard of Zab Judah ’s title opportunity against Kaizer Mabuza. One of the brightest young prospects in the lighter weights, Joselito brings a strong boxing pedigree alongside his amateur background; one that has led him to an 11-0 record since entering the pro ranks. A humble personality oozing confidence, Collado could be the next great hope in the featherweight division for American fight fans. Though this bout clearly represents a soft touch for Collado, it’s not something he takes lightly. He has scouted Yun as much as he can. “He hasn’t fought for over 10 years; his last bout was in the year 2000. I don’t know much about him because he’s from South Korea and most of his fights have been out there…but I’ll be ready.”

“Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr.,” Collado responds with when asked about his boxing influences. “I base a lot of myself on both of their styles.” The slick power of each can easily be traced from Collado’s style, one he embraces. “I think I’m always doin’ a little Roy Jones style.”

Since turning pro, Joselito has impressed. The only detriment has been the slow pace to which his career has followed. On March 5th, Joselito may find the kick-start to a career; exposure that comes with fighting on a Zab Judah undercard: “I can’t wait for the opportunity for the world to see me, and I hope they like my performance.”

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