As a former champion who literally lives in the gym, Juan Carlos Payano isn’t worried about staying ready for whenever he is able to resume with his boxing career.
Like everyone in the sport, however, he naturally wonders when that day will come.
“I am worried but confident that things will resume back to normal and that the [corona]virus will be contained,” Payano (21-3, 9KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “I have full confidence in this country and my country now. Happy to be an American.”
The two-time Olympian and former bantamweight titlist from Dominican Republic—who now lives and trains in Miami, Florida—has been out of the ring since a stoppage loss to unbeaten former 118-pound king Luis Nery last July. Preliminary plans called for a rust-shaking return on March 28 and then a bigger opportunity in May. The March show is no longer on the table and the May date remains fluid in the wake of COVID-19, which has claimed more than 11,400 lives worldwide and has all but brought the free world to a grinding halt.
While his next opportunity remains uncertain, Payano has long ago learned to remain ready for anything.
“I am currently training for a fight in May 2020, possibly for an interim world title,” reveals Payano, who turns 36 in April. “Nothing is 100% as of yet. My manager and (trainer) Herman Caicedo keeps us all on our toes on a day to day basis here, regardless of what’s happening in the outside world.”
Payano reached the pinnacle of his career in 2014, claiming a technical decision win over long-reigning titlist Anselmo Moreno to claim a bantamweight title. Inactivity has long plagued his career, though, as he lodged just one successful defense—a 12-round split decision win over Rau’Shee Warren in their August 2015 title fight before losing to the three-time U.S. Olympian in their June 2016 rematch.
The Dominican southpaw is just 4-2 since then, with his last four fights coming versus unbeaten opposition. The losses over that stretch have come versus two of the very best in the world today—Nery last July and a crushing 1st round knockout at the hands of Naoya Inoue in October 2018.
The belief remains of at least one more title opportunity coming his way, although he refuses to wait by the phone for that call to come. Taking advantage of his surroundings, Payano remains tucked away at the privately-run Caicedo Sports Training Center, free from the madness plaguing the world today and surrounded by all of the necessary tools to give him a fighting chance for one last shot at a lasting impression.
“The gym is like a haven from all that, it’s very private, it is not a public gym or a community gym,” notes Payano, who is affectionately known as “The General” by those who dare attempt to keep up with the consummate gym rat. “Basically, by invitation only or you are one of the Caicedo Sports fighters. So, we don’t have to worry about any type of mass public gathering here there’s never more than six people here.
“Of course, we are all taking precaution even while we train. But the work ethic instilled into us by Herman keeps us all going even in times like this. The work we continue to put in is nice distraction, if you ask me.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox