By Ben Jacobs
In a country where sport is dominated by football (soccer), Esquiva Falcão (3-0, 1 KO) has the unenviable task of trying to win the attention of a public which when it does show interest in combat sports, leans to the world of MMA.
“I’m quite well recognised now in the Brazilian sports media, especially after the Olympics,” Falcão told BoxingScene.
“This is good for me and Brazilian boxing.
“There’s a lack of professional boxers in Brazil, but I think I’m here at the right moment to make Brazilian boxing more popular.”
The 2012 silver gold medallist has already begun his professional journey which he hopes will one day take him to a world title. Leading promoter Top Rank signed him after being impressed with his displays in London and Falcão is convinced there can be no better guide than the people currently charged with plotting his career path.
“I’m very happy with my progress, three fights, three wins, one by knockout, and now I’m getting ready for my fourth fight. I’m hoping to get out another knockout.
“Top Rank is the factory of champions. They take boxers from the start to being world champions. It’s important for an athlete to be with a good promoter.”
Falcão has based himself in Las Vegas where he trains out of the Top Rank gym. Considering the fact that he won a silver medal at the Olympics and based on his performances at that competition, it was only natural that some of the big name promotional companies would come looking for the 24-year-old. As well as Top Rank, Falcão also is under the tutelage of two of the most respected trainers in the sport in the form of Argentine, Miguel Díaz and Cuban, Ismael Salas.
“I have two trainers. Miguel Díaz is my head trainer and Ismael Salas is the assistant,” he explains.
“When Miguel isn’t there, Ismael takes over. They have so much experience and have worked with world champions so I can learn a lot. They teach me to box a certain way against every opponent. Communication wise, with Miguel Díaz, he speaks little bit of Portuguese, but we end up speaking a mixture of both Spanish and Portuguese. With Ismael it’s mainly Spanish.
“Here in Las Vegas, it’s the centre of professional boxing, so I’m lucky. There are other big boxing countries such as England and Russia, but the focus is on Las Vegas. All the big world champions want to fight here.”
Having seen other Olympians such as Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux make such rapid progress in the professional ranks, Falcão also believes he can climb the ladder quicker than others have done in the past. Although he recognises that Lomachenko’s rise is unique.
“Lomachenko is a special case. But with my potential and hard work I believe I can make quick progress.”
Activity is vital for any boxer at any stage of their careers, none more so than at the beginning when development is key. To that end, Esquiva is pleased to have already fought three times in 2014. He is scheduled to have his fourth contest against an as yet unnamed opponent on August 9 in Glendale, California.
“This year I want to have at least three more fights. So overall it would be good to have six or seven fights for my first year.”