SACRAMENTO, California – Kevin Montano fought for 20 years in the amateurs, but it was a loss in his seventh pro fight, to Ebert Diaz in November, that changed everything.
Montano, a 27-year-old lightweight who trains out of Sacramento, was gutted by the defeat. The Sacramento State alum had built up a record of 6-1 (3 KOs) as a pro, along with a healthy social media following, but suddenly, none of that mattered.
"After the loss, it was hard for me," Montano told BoxingScene. "I did a lot of soul-searching."
Montano sought help from a specialist. He learned that he was depressed, but he also discovered during the process the benefits of medication. He now says he has made a 180-degree turn from his lowest moment.
“Medication has been a game-changer,” Montano said. “My productivity has been up 10 times.”
Upon entering the gym with his newfound clarity, he also discovered something else: Montano believes he has something called delayed skilled acquisition.
“In my case, as a fighter who has been fighting for 20 years – doesn’t look like he has been fighting for 20 years – then all of a sudden I had a breakthrough moment,” Montano said. “The missing piece of the puzzle was distance.”
Montano, who says he previously struggled with spatial recognition as a pro and took unnecessary punishment as a result, believes that he now has the ability to control range and distance.
“My defense went from Level 1 to Level 10,” Montano said. “I know it sounds like bullshit, but you will see.”
Montano has a tentative return date for August in Northern California. He believes the next time fans see him, he will be a different fighter – both in terms of who he is outside the ring and his ability inside it.
“I used to take two punches to give one,” Montano said. “I am not taking those punches that way anymore.”
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
