By Mark Vester

Since December, former champion Jorge "Golden Boy" Linares has been heavily involved with the Teiken gym in Tokyo and says: "2010 will be a year that demonstrates what I'm made of - and I assure you the Golden Boy will be here to stay."

Linares wants to redeem himself after getting destroyed last October in a single round by Juan Carlos Salgado. He says there was a lot of pressure to win and he let it get to his head during training. Linares signed a big promotional deal with Golden Boy Promotions around that period and his career was starting to really take off until the loss.

 

"At that moment in time I felt invincible, and combined with personal problems that I was going through at the time, as well as my preparation that definitely wasn't the best. It wasn't my the coaches, but the pressure I had at that moment," Linares said. "Because of my supporters, my people, my family and relatives - I've achieved everything that I have and I'm going to achieve it once again."

"It was a very big punch that Salgado caught me with. It changed my reality and above all things, created a lot of criticism and comments. A stroke of luck that changed my history and my career."

In his very first defense of the super featherweight title from Linares, Salgado was stopped by Takashi Uchiyama this past Monday.

"I think what happened to Salgado is very similar to my own experience. However, Uchiyama is a recognized talent. I will take the opportunity again and work to seize it," Linares said. "Salgado was very messy, very ugly with his punches against Uchiyama. Salgado was severely punished. Salgado said that he had the punch to hurt Uchiyama but the tables got turned. It was certainly a fast and strong hook that Salgado knocked me out with, but the truth about that night is - the "Golden Boy" Linares knocked out Jorge Linares."

Linares rejected the idea of going for an immediate shot at Uchiyama. He wants to work his way back up to a shot. He also has no desire for a rematch with Salgado, who now lost. A ring return in Venezuela is what Linares would like to do.

"I'll for wait my chance. I will not go straight to Uchiyama. I've been working hard and I will go back up [in the rankings]. I'm not interested in Salgado, that time has passed and I'm not interested in a rematch or anything. I want to show what I am made of. I want to fight in Venezuela, because I feel indebted to the fans there. Then I want to take a fight in Tokyo," Linares said.

Send News Tips and Comments To Mark Vester @ boxingvester@gmail.com