by Francisco Salazar |
Lindolfo Delgado was already a top amateur and undefeated prospect.
Moving to coach Robert Garcia to take his skills to the next level was a necessity to compete in the talent-rich junior welterweight division. The move paid dividends as he was impressive and could be one or two wins away from a world title shot.
Delgado will face Bryan Flores on Saturday night at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, Recent Mexico. The 10-round fight will precede the main event between IBF featherweight world titleholder Luis “Venado” Lopez and former junior featherweight world titleholder Angelo Leo.
Both fights will be broadcast live on ESPN (10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT).
Saturday’s clash between Delgado (20-0, 15 knockouts) and Flores is fascinating because both are aggressive punchers, both know each other from their amateur days and both have found success in the pro ranks, building impeccable records.
Delgado does not overlook Flores (26-0-1, 15 KOs) from Ciudad Juarez and expects an invigorating fight that the fans will be able to enjoy.
“It’s a very good fight,” Delgado said in a recent interview with The Ring. “Bryan Flores is a very good fighter with a lot of experience. He holds his punches and he hits difficult. It’s a fight that will create fireworks. We hope it will go well and in our favor. I prepared very well. I also feel forceful. In the fight, we will show what we have been working on.”
Delgado, 29, who lives in Linares, Mexico, currently fights under the Top Rank banner. He signed with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) before making his professional debut in April 2017. Delgado represented Mexico at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Delgado has been under Garcia’s tutelage for the past few months. He has been fortunate to not only train with Garcia, his son Robert Garcia Jr., but has also had great fights with the likes of former unified world champion Jose Ramirez, newly crowned WBA junior welterweight champion Jose Valenzuela and lightweight title challenger Raymond Muratalla.
Improved skills under Garcia’s tutelage and quality sparring at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Riverside, California, have paid dividends for Delgado, who feels he has yet to reach the peak of his powers.
“Honestly, we prepared and worked well (with him),” said Delgado, who is ranked in the top 15 in two boxing sanctioning bodies. “Robert’s team supported me and reinforced my desire to be the best in the sport. I’m more motivated. It’s not just Robert. It’s his father, Eduardo. Robert’s son, ‘Pita’ (Robert Garcia, Jr.) and other trainers that are in the gym. Felipe (Campa). They helped me. I worked difficult with them. I pay attention to what they tell me. And we improved after every fight.
“(Garcia’s training program) helped me a lot. I had a different style in the amateurs. I came here with Robert and started focusing more on my striking. Having the basics helped me, but the experience I had from fighting as an amateur for many years, including with the Nuevo Leon team and the Mexican national team, helped me a lot. All of those things helped me get to this point in my career. That helped me a lot.”
Delgado believes another asset to his career is the camaraderie he has forged with other top fighters, some of whom are the best in the sport.
“Realistically, you feel the support of everyone,” Delgado said. “From the coaches and the players. They tell you not to give up and give it your all. Fight like that. Try that method. We facilitate each other. We don’t hold back when we fight. We respect each other and facilitate each other. I’ve talked to ‘Rayo’ (Jose Valenzuela), Raymond (Muratalla), (the once-defeated) Oscar Duarte. They all facilitate you and give you advice. You grow as a player and you facilitate each other.”
The 140-pound division is full of titleholders, contenders, undefeated fighters and top prospects. Delgado would likely be ranked in the top 10 of The Ring’s rankings already, but he’s probably a win or two away from cracking the top 10.
Delgado believes he is already one of the best in his division and is confident he can beat any fighter if given the chance.
“I’m ecstatic to be in this division. It’s a sizzling division. It’s full of superstars. Honestly, I think I’m in the same league as those guys. Hopefully I get a chance to fight all of them, show up and stay there, and fight (the rest of) them. For me, it would be a great opportunity. I think fighting them would be beneficial for me because I can give them all a great fight.”
Delgado is confident of a win over Flores on Saturday, believing impressive wins will bring in modern fans and allow him to continue climbing the ranks of the 140-pound division.
“I want to continue to show what I do. I want to win in a attractive way. In an impressive way. Of course, the fights get complicated, but I want to win in an impressive way, like I did in my previous fights.
“I want martial arts fans to continue to get to know me and take a massive step forward.”
MMA7 months ago
Interviews2 months ago
MMA7 months ago
Interviews2 months ago
MMA7 months ago
Boxing5 months ago
Interviews7 months ago
Opinions & Features2 months ago