By Jhonny Gonzalez
Former champion Ivan Calderon has gone back to his basics as he prepares for the April 2 rematch with WBO junior flyweight champion Giovani Segura. The first fight, held last August in Puerto Rico, saw Segura end Calderon's unbeaten streak with an eight round TKO. The rematch takes place in Segura's home of Mexico. Calderon continues to tell himself that he is coming to Segura's turf to "get what's mine."
"I'm doing things like I did before, when I was 27 years old. For this fight with Segura, I implemented the same things when I became a champion at 108 pounds against Hugo Cazares. It was a training combo of working strength and running, the right food and for the first time in my career, I am stationed at the home of Felix Pagan Pintor," Calderon said to Carlos Gonzalez. "Now I understand why Miguel Cotto prefers to be away, so you have the necessary peace to be very focused on the fight."
Calderon completed six rounds of sparring with Jose Mercedes and Kevin Vazquez. The change of environment gives Calderon a peace of mind that he usually wouldn't have if he trained around his home. In the first fight, Calderon says that he arrived with injuries and they hurt him during the contest.
"I neglected [the hamstring injury] because I wanted to fight. I did not stop the fight because it was a unification and the audience wanted it. I trusted in my abilities and I never thought I'd get hit with a good shot," said Calderon.
