by Chris Robinson
When speaking with one Jonathan Cepeda, it becomes very clear that the undefeated junior middleweight prospect isn’t following the typical route to aspired stardom. Growing up rough in Jersey City, New Jersey, fighting was always something that came natural to Cepeda but it wasn’t until he was twenty years old that he took up the sport of boxing.
But while some may look at it as a late start, it’s obvious that Cepeda’s upbringing in life served as his own baptism by fire, teaching him lessons along the way that still are ingrained in him. Having turned professional in November of 2008, Cepeda holds an 11-0 record with 10 knockouts and possesses and extremely crowd-pleasing style that could see him in boxing’s spotlight in the coming years.
I reached out to the 27-year old Cepeda recently and touched on a myriad of topics. Now living in Florida, Cepeda reflected on his early connection to his Dominican roots, his initial interest in the sport of boxing, learning from his new trainer John David Jackson, what it’s like being under Lou Dibella’s promotional umbrella, and much more.
Continue on for all of Cepeda’s thoughts…
Born and raised…
“Basically I was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey and I went back and forth to the Dominican Republic in the summer to visit my family. Then I moved when I was sixteen to West Palm Beach, Florida. My family is real Hispanic, real Dominican. All my Aunts and Uncles have been in Jersey for fifty years and don’t know one word of English.”
A different world in Florida…
“It was a different world. It was the best thing that ever happened to me because basically you are a product of your environment and back then, Jersey City was tough. It was just basically the hood, the projects. It was funny, because when we came here it was to a bad area and when we came to a bad area it had a pool. It was a big change.”
The fighter I am…
“I think Jersey City made me the fighter that I am. Ever since I was young I was always fighting. I would always play basketball so I always went to the black projects to play basketball. My whole family, we are fighters, we were raised tough. When I came to Florida it showed me a whole different life. I think I got the best of both worlds; I have that grindiness, that street in me, but then I feel real educated and I feel I am very versatile. I can mix with the wealthy and the middle class and also the ghetto and the poor.”
An interest in boxing…
“I started boxing when I was twenty. I was watching HBO and they showed this kid from Jersey City. I forgot his name but they were saying he was getting $200,000 and I said ‘$200,000 for fighting?’ and then the next day I spent all day looking for a boxing gym.”
Working as a team…
“I was living in West Palm Beach. The first gym I went to was Palm Beach Boxing and that’s when I met my longtime coach, Stu Acton. Basically he’s been with me, and he’s still with me, even though I just switched to John David Jackson, but my amateur coach is still there. He saw that John could take me to the next level and we are just working as a team and trying to get it.”
Amateur days…
“I had like twenty-five amateur fights, with three losses, all of them to Danny Jacobs, by decision, it was bullshit, politics in the amateurs. The first time I went to Nationals I had five fights and I made it to the semi-finals in the Golden Gloves. Basically my record was like 21-3 with 17, 18 knockouts. Ever since I was an amateur people told me that I needed to turn pro because I had a pro style.”
Finally turning professional…
“It was at the PGA Resort. It felt good man. It felt real good. I didn’t expect it to end that soon. My family was there, everybody was there, I was a little nervous. Even though boxing is a dirty sport, a lot of politics and a shady business, I can’t really see myself doing anything else.”
His most recent fight, a 5th round stoppage over Rahman Yusubov in Brooklyn, New York...
“That experience was very good for me. Because I went in there with basically my whole family. It was in New York so that was the first time that my grandmother, my cousins, my brother, and my family got to see me fight because I’ve always fought in Florida. So basically the first two rounds were easy rounds for me, but what happened was, I got caught up in the mix because I just wanted to take him out bad. The first two rounds I was pumping my jab the way I was supposed to. I had it real easy and then he caught me with a right hand. When he caught me a right hand that’s when I got a little angry and I lost my composure. I got it together and I ended up knocking him out in the fifth round.”
Being promoted by Dibella Entertainment...
“It feels good to be promoted by a big promoter. I haven’t fought on a big card yet but it feels good because without a promoter you can’t really get anywhere or get too far. Knowing that I am with one of the top three promoters in the business, I’m just excited. I got signed with him, it was Elvis, my advisor, and he set up the deal. Basically they set up a fight with me and I knocked the dude out in the first round and they liked what they saw. I’m supposed to be fighting on October 21st, but I don’t know where yet.”
A connection with John David Jackson…
“We mesh real good. I really like what he’s teaching me. Most of the time I am a hyper person. I’m hyper, I’m active, I’m jumping around screaming. John is very, very placid. He’s calm, soft-spoken person and basically I would say he is teaching me a lot of patience. He’s telling me to pick my shots, that I don’t have to rush things. That’s my problem, I get too excited. He said, with the power that I had, if I keep my composure and just work my jab and pick my shots, it should be easy work. More than anything, he’s teaching me how to use my mind in boxing. A lot of people think they can box me but it’s real hard to know what to do.”
