Coach Peter Kahn, Italian flyweight Christian Chessa and coach Javiel Centeno have plans for a substantial future in the US (Photo: Javiel Centeno Jr.)
by Joseph Santoliquito |
Christian Chessa was always a target. He couldn’t escape it growing up on the streets of Milan, Italy. Chessa was constantly bullied. He would look at himself in the mirror and want to do something about it. Everything he tried seemed to be judged by his size. Chessa was a little kid. When he was 10, he looked like he was eight.
So he stopped kicking soccer balls, for which he was pushed around on the pitch and rarely picked to play because of his size, and decided to do something about the abuse he was experiencing — and took up boxing.
Nobody is pushing him around today.
“Il Bambino” is a 6’5” 20-year-old flyweight aspiring fighter who likes the Italian saying, “Nella botte piccola c’è il vino buono,” which translates to “Good wine comes in diminutive barrels.” In other words, good things come in diminutive packages.
Chessa (5-0, 5 knockouts), who turns 21 in August, is managed by 2022 BWAA Manager of the Year Peter Kahn and trained by Javiel Centeno, trainer of Xander Zayas. Chessa is looking to build his boxing brand and name in the United States.
Christian Chessa is counting on more victories in the US (photo: Javiel Centeno Jr.)
What moves him deeply is the memory of a 10-year-old boy who was once bullied.
“I remember walking into the boxing gym that first day and knowing I could give it my all,” said Chessa, who speaks Italian, Spanish, English and French. “I knew I had only myself to rely on. When I first walked into the gym, they put me in a kids’ session, with kids who were just starting out. When I did well with them, they promoted me to a group of teenage fighters at a higher, more advanced level. When I was put in the first level, I was doing work when I was 11, with guys who were already fighting.
“They were really tough on me. At that point, I could feel a little bit of fear. I was younger and smaller than everyone else, and that made me want to show the boxing coaches that I could beat the older, bigger kids. I knew I had to try harder than the older kids. I got involved. I was in the gym at the same time every day. Over time, I could see that the coaches were putting in more strenuous work than they were putting in with the older guys.”
Javiel Centeno has high hopes for Christian Chess (Photo: Javiel Centeno Jr.)
This meant to Chessa that he was quite good at boxing. Chessa is the youngest of three boys. His middle brother is 35 and it was he who introduced Christian to boxing (his oldest brother is 37). Christian was 14 when he devoted himself to boxing.
“It was more than a commitment, I became obsessed with boxing,” he said. “I knew I had to go to the United States if I wanted to make it in boxing. Even in school, I always said I wanted to be a professional boxer. With all the work I put in, I didn’t want to settle for mediocrity. I always wanted to be a professional.”
He came from humble beginnings, his father an airport worker and his mother a janitor at a local school. Christian was with the Italian national team, although he did not trust the Italian amateur system.
In 2021, Chessa and Kahn found each other while he was training in Boca Raton, Florida with Centeno. Through Centeno, Chessa met Kahn.
“Peter was very elated to hear what everyone was saying about me, and I could see in Peter’s eyes what he thought about me, and that was good,” said Chessa, who has had five fights in Italy. “My next fight that I would like to have would be in the United States. I came here to find a team. In Italy, I could only find a mid-level team. Getting a visa is my first goal, and then showing everyone how great I can be. I hope that in the next two years I want to fight for a title. I just want to fight here and start my career in the United States. That would be an achievement. My dream is to stay here.”
When he first saw Chessa, Centeno loved him. Chessa traveled with a strength and conditioning coach. They liked Centeno’s boxing gym, Sweatbox. Centeno liked the sound he heard from Chessa’s punches.
“We had some sparring and I thought, ‘This kid has some strength and heart,’ because he was with a kid who was at least 20 pounds heavier than him,” Centeno recalled. “We invited Christian back the next time he came to the States. He did a really good job. Christian has that relentless aggression. He has that same ferocity that Arturo Gatti has, with power in both hands and a little more refined defense. As a flyweight, he’s always with bigger guys and he’s fought a lot of rounds with Isaac Dogboe, LeBron Henry, Charlie Sheehy, who’s a 135-pounder. He got the job done. They didn’t spare him because Christian can shoot.
“I’d like to work with him more. We got Peter and we want to start testing Christian. I know he’s got the heart and the balls. I want to see what his speed and strength do to guys in his weight class.”
Centeno recently had Chessa with the teenage welterweight. It wasn’t long before the welterweight spat him out of his mouthpiece under pressure from Chessa.
“We want to slowly move Christian along, try to keep him in check for a while and see what he can do,” Centeno said. “We don’t want too many people to know about him. But I have a feeling there are good things ahead.”
Follow @JSantoliquito
