By Ryan Maquiñana
Trainer Jeff Mayweather can finally rest easy knowing his charge Celestino Caballero reclaimed what was rightfully his with a unanimous decision victory in a rematch against Jonathan Barros for the WBA featherweight title two weeks ago.
Three months ago, Mayweather’s mood was a livid one when despite having knocked Barros down in the first and ninth rounds in what appeared to be a competitive but clear victory, Caballero was denied the win by two of the three judges.
The fact that both the first and second fights took place in Barros’s home country of Argentina did not sit too well with the celebrated cornerman, but this time, justice would be served and the Panamanian known as “Pelenchin” (Cowboy) would return home with his third title belt in two weight classes.
BoxingScene caught up with “Jazzy Jeff,” who gave his take on the Caballero-Barros redux as well as his thoughts about middleweight Brandon Gonzales, who amicably broke up their partnership to train closer to his family and now headlines this Friday’s ShoBox card.
ON CABALLERO SUSTAINING AN ARM INJURY IN TRAINING:
“He’s in Panama right now nursing an injury. Two weeks before the fight, he didn’t tear a ligament, but he hurt a ligament in his [left] jabbing arm, [which is] right below his bicep, and it showed up in the fight.
“Now he’s taking some time to take care of that arm. He does plan to come back here pretty soon because his manager’s already been talking about a potential fight in December.”
ON WHY THEY DECIDED TO GO THROUGH THE BARROS FIGHT IN SPITE OF THE INJURY:
“It’s not like every day you get a title shot and an immediate rematch. We were blessed and fortunate for the opportunity. We at least had two weeks to recover something. He was in great physical and mental shape.
“People don’t know he didn’t get a chance to eat for almost 24 hours before he stepped in the ring the first time around. This time, we did everything different. We had our own money to choose where we ate and stayed and do what we wanted to do.”
ON STRATEGY FOR THE REMATCH WITH BARROS:
“Maybe there were one or two rounds that Barros won, but it was a dominating performance this time around. He boxed a lot more for this entire camp. He doesn’t mind getting in there and banging. He’s got great head movement and he’s so tall, but this time, we got him to trust in the jab more than anything.
“When you jab and you’re taller than the guy, you take a half-step back, and he can’t reach you anyway. Celestino was working on touching him up anywhere, to the body, to the head, with the jab, just so he knew where Barros was at all times.”
ON CALLING OUT YURIORKIS GAMBOA OR BILLY DIB:
“Of course, we’d love to fight Gamboa, but no one’s trying to jump in the ring with him because no one wants to take the risk. It looks like we’re going to have to fight No. 1 contenders. I know for a fact that [IBF champ] Billy Dib won’t fight him. Dib asked me if he could spar with Celestino. I told him, ‘I want to know if you spar him and you win the title, are you willing to fight him?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’
“Well, the first thing he said when got out of the ring, he said, ‘There’s no way I’m going to fight Celestino!’ This was back then when I was training at Pound 4 Pound Gym [in Las Vegas]. Billy’s a nice guy, but he was being honest when he said he wouldn’t fight him.”
ON A POTENTIAL REMATCH WITH JASON LITZAU:
“Jason Litzau fought the fight of his life, and Celestino had the worst fight of his life. But it’s one of those situations where you don’t move back. You move forward. Fighting him would be personal, macho stuff, and has nothing to do with the business.
“I’ll give you the example of [super middleweight] Joseph Kiwanuka. He lost to Thomas Tate, but instead of fighting for a title shot he had lined up, he chose to fight Thomas Tate again—and he lost. He never got a title shot again. How smart was that? 99 times out of 100, Jason Litzau wouldn’t beat Celestino. We’re not chasing a ghost. Chasing Litzau is not our plan at all.”
ON WHY HE NO LONGER WORKS WITH BRANDON GONZALES:
“One thing with Brandon is that he’s an extremely talented fighter all the way around. We got along great, but I understand his situation. He’s a young parent who didn’t want to be away from kids for that large amount of time.
“He made his decision, and I respected it. He’s a guy I’m rooting for, and we have a relationship beyond boxing. For me, he’s always a part of my team whether he’s here or not.”
ON THE POTENTIAL OF BRANDON GONZALES:
“To me, Brandon can beat a Fernando Guerrero and a lot of guys who are being lined up for a title, so if this guy can be beat by Guerrero, then he can be beat by Brandon, too. It’s a very important fight for Brandon, and I still communicate with him on time to time.
“I always wish him well, and I tell him he has too much talent to waste. He’s a hot prospect, but if he doesn’t get busy, then someone is going to take your position and your opportunities. I thought he’s wasted a lot of his career on the smaller things of boxing that you can’t really change.
“He’s not getting no younger. You can’t afford to bicker about maybe a thousand dollars or little stuff that’s so minute that once you win, you can control that situation a whole lot better by stepping in the ring and making people believe in you like I did.
“When Brandon came to me, he was one of probably the most talented fighters I’ve ever worked with, and I’m saying that in the sense of his power, speed, defense. There wasn’t a whole lot I had to do except to enhance what he already had. I wish him the best on ShoBox.”
Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com , check out his blog at www.maqdown.com or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.