Douglas: I'd Be Ready if I Got a Title Shot Tomorrow
By Francisco Salazar
There is nothing more important than a fighter learning about themselves early on in their pro careers. Even if it comes during the middle of a fight against a solid contender.
That is the case for Antoine Douglas, who is coming into his own as a legit middleweight prospect. The 22-year-old has faced an array of unbeaten fighters and veteran punches, passing most of these tests with solid results.
Should he continue down the path toward contender status, he could look back on one fight that reaffirmed who he is in the sport.
Douglas will fight fellow unbeaten middleweight Istvan Szili on Friday night at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Penn. The 10 round bout will headline a four-bout Showtime broadcast, which begins at 10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT.
in his last bout on March 13, Douglas stopped Thomas Lamanna in the sixth round in Westbury, N.Y. It was his third win over an unbeaten fighter in his pro career.
Douglas (17-0-1, 11 KOs) will face Szili, who is unbeaten in 20 fights. The Hungary-born fighter does not have a win over a notable fighter and will be fighting for the first time in the United States.
"I don't know a lot about him," Douglas told BoxingScene.com early Thursday morning. "I just know he's unbeaten and that he has never been knocked down."
Douglas has won has his last three bouts in a row since fighting to a majority decision draw against Michel Soro of France last July.
While Douglas has had memorable wins throughout his career, it was his fight against Soro where he learned more about himself as a fighter, in and out of the ring.
"That fight against Soro was at super welterweight," said Douglas, who resides in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Burke, Virginia. "I dried out for that fight. I learned that I have to stay on the weight where I am comfortable at. I'm a solid middleweight.
Douglas has looked up to 'Sugar' Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, and Roberto Duran. He admits the influence of all three of those fighters while he trains and whom he fights, depending on the opponent.
Despite the impressive performance against Soro, who recently stopped Glen Tapia, the jury may still be out on Douglas.
Douglas wants to stay as busy as possible, but believes he is turning the corner and could contend for a title soon.
"I feel that after three or four more fights, I'll be ready to take that next step. I want to be the best and I feel you have to fight the best to get there. I would be ready to go if I got a world title opportunity tomorrow."
"Every fight is a learning process for me."
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (CA) Star newspaper, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing
