By Ryan Songalia
Puerto Rico has seen it's share of great fighters, including Wilfredo Gomez, Wilfredo Benitez and Felix Trinidad. Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Francisco "The Wizard" Palacios, 11-0 (5 KO), looks to add himself to that list.
A slick southpaw with quick hands and an amateur pedigree, the Bronx-born Boricua looks to make his mark in the next year, completing the transition from prospect to contender. I spoke with The Wiz Kid about his current state of affairs in the boxing ring.
BoxingScene.com: What's the latest word, Francisco?
Francisco Palacios: "I was scheduled to fight on May 23 but the whole card fell through. I'm just trying to stay in the gym and seeing if I can get a fight."
BoxingScene.com: You've had a rough go of it so far with layoffs, managerial and promotional instability. Are those situations still factors with you, and what has kept you going through all of those issues?
Palacios: "Well, I just have to stay focused because in this business there are a lot of politics. I just stay in the gym and get ready while I wait for a fight and then I do what I have to do."
BoxingScene.com: How did you get your nickname, The Wizard?
Palacios: "I was in the gym one day shadowboxing and the trainer of this big heavyweight said to me, 'Anyone can look good shadowboxing, let's see if you can do it in the ring.' So I showed him what I had and made his fighter disappear. So his trainer said, 'You're a wizard.'"
BoxingScene.com: What compelled you to become a fighter?
Palacios: "My brother, he's dead now, he was a boxer. I used to watch him spar with Hector Camacho. I always loved boxing, but not for me. I didn't like to get hit. I was playing basketball at college and I broke my ankle. I gained mad weight. I went to the gym to get in shape and next thing you know I'm sparring with a lot of good amateur fighters.
I was fighting all my life growing up. Being from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, either you defended yourself or you always got picked on. I've been fighting every day since I was a child. Inside the ring, I don't have to worry about no teammates. There's no pointing any fingers at anyone in the ring."
BoxingScene.com: What was the nature of your split with former manager Evangelista Cotto?
Palacios: "He was helping me out. We never signed a contract, he was just an acting manager. I was over there in training camp when my family was going through some ups and downs. That's why I came back here to Orlando."
BoxingScene.com: How did ir help you to train over in Puerto Rico with Miguel Cotto?
Palacios: "It's always good to train with a champion. Right before my brother died, I made him a promise that I was going to be a world champion. I worked with Miguel and Daniel Santos. It's motivation to see people who are from the same native country as you. I want to have something that I can accomplish so my Puerto Rican people can be proud of me."
BoxingScene.com: Describe your style for the people who haven't seen you fight.
Palacios: "I'm a boxer-puncher. I'm not the type of fighter who stays inside, but if I have to I'll bite down on my mouthpiece and do it. It's all heart. I'm very ring intelligent. My style to me is unique. I look at a whole bunch of different fighters and I combined different styles.
"My favorite boxer is Hector Camacho. A lot of people say 'Oh, you're a runner.' It's not even that I'm a runner, I'm a boxer. If I gotta stay in the pocket and fight, then I'll do that. But if I don't have to, why would I stay in there and get caught with something I don't need to get caught with?"
BoxingScene.com: Talk a little bit about your amateur career. What were some of your favorite highlights?
Palacios: "I was ranked number two in the country. I went to two world championships. You know how the amateurs are. I'd never have an excuse like they robbed me. I took a bad decision. I lost in the semi-finals in the Eastern Trials when I was stopping everyone with the 20 point mercy rule."
BoxingScene.com: How long have you been in Florida?
Palacios: "Almost ten years now."
BoxingScene.com: How difficult a transition was it moving to Florida from Puerto Rico?
Palacios: "I didn't come straight to Florida. I've lived in the States since 1996. I went from Puerto Rico to Virginia for my last year of high school. Then I had a basketball scholarship to to North Carolina Central. After I broke my ankle, I came down to Florida because it was the closest thing to Puerto Rico. I didn't want to go back to Puerto Rico because there was a lot of crime and I was trying to get away from that. I was trying to make things better for myself and thank God I did."
BoxingScene.com: If there is only one fighter that you could fight in the next 12 months, who would it be?
Palacios: "Whoever. It don't matter to me. Whoever gives me the opportunity to get in the ring. I'm a fighter."
BoxingScene.com: Final thoughts. What would you like to say to the world?
Palacios: "I just want to tell everybody out there don't lose hope in me in coming out and fighting. I'm just waiting on that call. Hopefully it will come soon. There isn't anything that is gonna stop me. I'm a man of my word and I made a promise to my brother that I'd be world champion before I retire. Even if I'm 50 years old before I fight for a title. I'll wait till I'm 50 and become world champion if I have to."
Any questions or comments? Send them to me at mc_rson@yahoo.com
