WBA CHAMP JASMINE "ANIMAL" ARTIGA CHOPS IT UP AT THE SPAR-INN

We talk with WBA Champ Jasmine “The Animal” Artiga about building a world champion mindset from a late start, then turning Tampa pride into fuel for unification. We get honest about sparring, weight advantages, boxing business, and the family bond that keeps her grounded and dangerous.

THE SPAR-INN ON YOUTUBE

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

It's time for the main event. It's the Sparing Podcast.

SPEAKER_00 0:11

What's going on?

SPEAKER_01 0:11

What's up, guys?

SPEAKER_00 0:12

How are we doing? We are live. We are live.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

I was like rushing home from the gym. I was like, I gotta make this.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Oh, wow. What that important. Again, for our listeners, it is the is it the animal or animal, Jasmine Artiga? Okay. The animal. Okay, animal. Animal, Jasmine Artiga. Uh, what's going on? You just got back from the gym, you said?

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Yes, I just got back from the gym. Uh, today was kind of a heavy day. So just got back and we're full in camp and we're less than we're less than 30 days out.

SPEAKER_03 0:43

Wow. While you're in camp, right, are you still pushing the 45s off your chest?

SPEAKER_01 0:49

I actually did touch a 45 today, but I try to be mindful with the heavyweight when I kind of like get closer to fight time for sure.

SPEAKER_03 0:59

Yeah, because you don't want to be so tense.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

Yeah, I don't do that kind of weight all the time. I honestly just do it for video.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

Oh, okay, okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

I'm sorry, I'm playing with these segments. I don't know. What are you doing? I'm trying to get it right and it's all effed up. Whatever. Willie, move closer though. Nah. Come on, we gotta we gotta touch shoulders.

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Y'all have a great background. I have this boring background.

SPEAKER_03 1:21

It's alright. It's alright. You gotta get ready for your, you gotta start streaming afterwards, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 1:27

No, but I'm not good at that kind of stuff. I'm not technically inclined, so like me and social media, like I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Clearly, clearly, we're not either.

SPEAKER_03 1:37

Clearly, we're not either fighting, fighting football, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah.

Late Start And Learning Fast

SPEAKER_01 1:44

I could hoop a little bit, a little bit, but I picked that up later. Tennis, actually, tennis was my first sport I ever played. Like, I was a beast in tennis, but like I didn't have that passion for it, so I kind of like I just kind of like gave it up. But I was I was a beast at tennis. That was my first sport, and honestly, like I kind of wish I stuck with it because it's fun.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

It's a lot of money in tennis too. Yeah, scholarship, everything.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

You also I I know did you you did you box like your whole life or you are you a late girl?

SPEAKER_01 2:12

No, I'm a late start. Um, I was around boxing my whole life because my dad boxed, so he's my trainer. Um, as everybody knows, we're on this journey together. But he boxed he boxed when he was younger, when he he moved out to like California and Vegas and pursued his dreams out there and just kind of was kind of fed up with the political game. He he he was by himself in the sport, so he didn't have like the proper guidance in it. And he kind of packed his stuff up from out west and came back home to Tampa. But um after he came home, he started a family. So like he I'd never witnessed him box, but it was always like Friday, Saturday nights. We're watching boxing. Like me and my siblings were all a year apart, so like we're all about the same size growing up. So we'd move the coffee table and he put the gloves on us and they'd be like so big on us, and we in like he would teach us how to fight. I hit a heavy bag growing up in the garage, but I actually didn't start boxing until 21.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

Wow. Yeah. So no, no amateur experience, you just went straight pro no, no, no.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

I had amateur experience. I I won nationals and amateurs. I um, but I I I didn't have many fights. Um, I did like the POW thing and then we turned pro. We turned pro pretty quick.

SPEAKER_02 3:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

So I did most of my learning in the gym sparring. I'm a consistent spar. There's not since I started uh back when I was 21, I don't think there's been a week other than taking off a little like two-week break from camp that I go don't go two weeks two times a week sparring.

unknown 3:43

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 3:43

So I spar a lot.

SPEAKER_03 3:45

That's crazy. From the so when you started, right? So you you start it and you jump right into sparring straight up, and you just went ahead of after that, just kept on going after that.

Why She Spars Only Men

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Yeah, yeah. Sparring to me, sparring is the only way to really get that experience and learning. Um, if you're not getting fights in the gym. I mean, you could hit a heavy bag all day, you can hit mitts, but to actually get in there and experience and learn is that getting in that ring and that square circle is where you're gonna learn everything.

SPEAKER_00 4:16

Now, are you sparring like dudes most of the times?

SPEAKER_01 4:19

I only spar boys. I there's very rare that I spar women.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Um why is that?

SPEAKER_01 4:25

There's just not really many out here. I don't really believe in traveling to spar when I have boys that are better than girls that can give me work and just being in front of the boys, they make you faster. They they could take better punches. Um, I just to me it it it sharpens me better. So I don't really I don't really care to spar the girls. Um that's just my opinion. I think I think it makes me a better fighter.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Good for you, man. Because I like we were talking to O'Shea Jones on one of our shows, and then Amanda Serrano said this the same thing, but she was like, I I hate sparring because the and I want to know if it happens to you as well. The dudes get a little mad when you hit them and then you're gonna be able to do it.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Yeah, well, they expect like you're not gonna well the funny thing is, well, it's when they don't have experience. If you get a guy in there with no like not that's pretty green, it I'm at a point where I can't spar those guys because they'll say, because there is a difference. Like, I don't care what anybody says, there is a difference in power, bone density, like there is a big difference. Um you get this guy that they're like, yeah, I could work, but then they get hit and you hit hard and then they try to like open up and go crazy and they don't know how to control the sparring. So you have to pick the sparring. Uh you have to be smart with picking the sparring because you obviously like I'm small, so like some of these bigger girls can take more punches of me, but I I have a small frame, so we got to really be careful um with you know bigger, bigger guys that get in there because it's hard to find small guys. But yeah, my best sparring comes from the boys.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

That's good, man. And and this is all in Tampa, right?

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Tampa, Florida. Yeah, Tampa.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

And I was doing my research, obviously, because we don't we don't come in green, you know. Yeah. I I didn't I nobody would really think you're the first ever champion out of Tampa, Florida. That's something. Isn't that crazy? It's such a big city.

Being Tampa’s First World Champion

SPEAKER_01 6:16

And in Florida over 130 years, there's never been a world champion. Now you have transplants, meaning like uh Antonio Tarver's from Orlando. Um, you have Winky Wright, is was from uh, I believe Washington and just relocated here. You have uh the closest we have is Keith Thurman, but he's over the bridge in Clearwater. That's 727. That's not Hillsborough County or or Tampa. Um Andre Burdo is uh Lakeland, uh uh Bartow area. So or Winter Haven. Yeah, I mean, there's there's great fighters, but born and raised in Tampa, it's never it's never been done.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

And then you got South Florida, all the Cubans. Yeah, yeah, definitely. And they're coming up for sure. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:00

So you being champion, do you feel like you get the respect that you like for being champion? Like in the case.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

As in what way? In Tampa? Oh, absolutely. The community loves me. Um, yeah, but I do a lot in the community. If y'all follow my page, I I work a lot with kids in uh in that manner. Like I can't, I can't go anywhere without you know, people knowing who I am, which is cool. It feels good, but uh the main thing right now is is creating foundation for the kids and and really making a movement in in boxing because I believe that's what my purpose and my platform is, is to show the young kids that you can make it to the top, doing it the right way, uh, you know, still having dignity, integrity, uh, loyalty, discipline, just teaching them the right ways because this world is crazy. And then there's so many athletes out there that aren't role models, and and I don't want to be that, you know. So it's really my duty. And it's just it's just so it's just so rewarding to see a little kid look up to you and like look at your belt and like it's just their eyes light up. So that's to me, that's like my purpose in um in my inboxing, my career.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

What about like when a grown man looks up to you and looks at your belt? That's that's no, that's cool too.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

No, that's definitely cool too. Anybody, honestly, like women, men, anybody. Uh it it's it's a really good feeling to know and to know that you're doing everything the right way, you know. Like don't cut corners, you I don't have to do dumb things to get my to get noticed. Because I honestly don't care for major spotlight. Like I'm I don't care to be famous. I just I just care to do the right thing in life, you know.

Lingerie Football League To Boxing

SPEAKER_00 8:33

Well, you are famous. I mean, and and even it was like it was like meant to be because I while doing the research again, I I had no idea that you were in the, and I'm sure you get asked all the time, but the lingering football league. Oh, yeah, yeah, Landry Football League, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Yeah, that's actually I did that right out of high school. I was the youngest girl in the league. I made the league at 17. Um, and it I just happened to fall into it. I took my dad to a game for Christmas because I saw Tampa had a team. I saw it on MTV. And I took him to a game for Christmas. I was like, because I was playing flag football in high school, and actually my junior year, I believe, is when flag football came out. And um when flag football came out, uh, I was I loved defense, so safety was my favorite. Um, and then I was wide receiver. Well, a wide receiver when I played laundry football. I was quarterback uh when I played uh in high school. So I took my dad to a game, and then like I saw after the game, I was like, whoa, there's like people lined up to sign, like for these girls to sign autographs. How do I get into this? So I looked it up, found the tryouts. There was like 300 girls that tried out, only 20 made the team, and 14 like made the starting lineup. And I made the starting lineup. Um, I was just fast. Obviously, I like I had good hands. I've I always played around football growing up and stuff with my dad and my brother.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

So uh people forget too. Like people forget, like they when that came out with the XFL, it kind of like looked like a gimmick, but no, you y'all were like trying.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

No, we weren't really hitting each other. Yeah, they like hit. Yeah, the thing about it was every like this was before football became big for women because now I I believe it's like flag football is pretty big. There's like leagues and everything. I was gonna ask you.

SPEAKER_03 10:10

I was about to ask you. They got the little kids, like uh little niece. She she does it at like 12 years old.

SPEAKER_00 10:17

I think it's in high schools now, too. That's like a high school sport.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Yeah, it's a high school sport. They might be putting in college, I don't know. But I do know it just came out when I graduated back in in 09 and in 2010. And um now it's huge, but like, so every girl came from a different sport background. So like most girls were soccer players, you had like track runners, like you had girls from basketball players, you had girls from all the other sports. So everybody was athletic, but it was just a matter of like getting coached into learning the plays and all that kind of stuff. And we had we had ex-NFL players as our coaches, so like it was, it was uh fun. And then they turned the team from they wanted to take the Tampa team to like Atlanta. And that's when I kind of like stepped into boxing because I was like, where am I gonna go with my life? I wanted to become a police officer, but um, I just played around in the boxing gym. And I told my dad, since I was like in shape and stuff, I was like, hey, train me. Let me see what I could do. And and I sparred and he from there, he like I was working in restaurants and he he texted me. He goes, I can make you world champion, but you have to dedicate your mind, body, and soul to this. And I'm like, let's do it. So ever since then, we've been we've been on this ride.

SPEAKER_00 11:26

It's amazing, it's amazing. It's awesome how that works.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

I ain't gonna lie, you look like a police officer too. It just I just never see myself doing like uh a job where I'm sitting still, like I'm acting. I want to go chase somebody down and and like I don't know, I want adventure, you know.

SPEAKER_03 11:44

She gonna hand him somebody up, right?

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Uh that's a that's awesome though. So your dad's still your coach, yeah, and you you still train at a Tampa. Yep. You like you you're like a thoroughbred Tampin? Is that the thing?

SPEAKER_01 11:57

Yeah, we're uh we're calling Tampaños in in Spanish because back in the day uh Tampa was nothing but like Cubans and Italians. And uh so my mom is from Cuba, she came here at 17, but my dad is a third-generation Tampa-born native, making me fourth generation. And so my great-grandparents were brought here when Igor brought the Cubans from Cuba to roll cigars. So Tampa is a big cigar city, we're called Cigar City, and um, so they worked in the factories. So yeah, I'm a true Tampa native, Tampanian, if you want to say it in English, but um there's not many of us left.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

That's that's awesome. And like I see you got the the the cliche uh Florida Jeep. So you you just purchased that recently, right? I did.

MVP Promotion And Staying Grounded

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Really, really settling in. I love it. I'm not gonna lie. Like, I love it. You'd be taking the doors off. I haven't done that yet, but I take the roof off. I still have to put tires on it, but like that roof is always off. But now it's summer and you know that rain, that rain's coming.

SPEAKER_03 13:03

Was that like your first real big purchase? Like since you know, playing a champion.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Yeah, because I don't believe in in blowing money like that. I still live at home.

SPEAKER_03 13:10

Yeah, you was definitely uh well.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

I know the money, the money definitely got better with the MVP and signing with them, and and he's taking care of y'all for sure.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Yeah, Jake, Jake and Dakisa and MVP uh all around, they they take care of their fighters for sure. So, you know, I'm with the best uh company for women right now, and um, I'm truly blessed for that, uh, to have opportunity with them. And yeah, you know, it's just bigger things to come. And you'll never see me flashing like that though, because it's really not like I still live at home, and and I just it keeps me grounded. And and you know, me and my dad are on this journey together, and and this is my my focus point right now. So, you know, what we do this as a family, and and that's what life's about.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

That's and like it it means something because like uh a friend of ours as well, also in in your weight division, Ginny. Yeah, Ginny, she it's hard for her to get a fight. She she's having trouble getting a fight, and and like Jake Paul's really or and MVP is really putting them together and and getting you girls fights. So it's almost like they they they really cornered the the woman's boxing market. Oh, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

They're they're taking over it for sure.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

How do you not go there? How do you not go there?

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Yeah, it's it's a no-brainer, really.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Um, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

They're doing big things, and even now stepping into MMA, I'm sure there's gonna be great fights made in that.

MMA Talk And The “Animal” Nickname

SPEAKER_00 14:25

And and it is Did you watch last night? Yeah, yeah, definitely. Of course, a big event, the 15 seconds.

SPEAKER_01 14:31

Oh, we knew that. Like, yeah, yeah. Rhonda Rousey's a gold judo medalist, like that's her thing, arm bar. Like, she's gonna shoot her arm bar.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

Her neck's still like I'm like insane.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Oh my yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

That thing is like she must do those like neck rolls.

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Yeah, she's serious, like there's no game in her, and and I love that. I love that about her. I love the no nonsense, you know, attitude. And in like I like fighters like that, like Katie Taylor's and and girls that really live for the sport, you know, and and it it's it makes a big difference.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

I do like what she said too. After the fight, they were like, Oh, will we see you again? Because that was too. She was like, No, I'm having babies and having like she kept it real.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

So she doesn't have to, she doesn't have nothing to prove to anybody, you know. She did what she did, she came back and she ended her career the way she wants to end her career, and and why not? You know, she has nothing else to prove.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Now, do did you ever think of like maybe since they're going that route, if the money is right, a crossover, or are you strictly boxing?

SPEAKER_01 15:28

I'll cross over on the boxing ring if they want to come over this side, but for me to do MMA, it's not in my plans. I don't care to do that. Um, I'm just I don't care for the wrestling. I love the the true sweet science of of boxing and and I watch old school fights all the time. So like I just love the history of boxing and in the art that it is.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

Yeah, that's like me too. I'm actually a little boxing nerd over here.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Yeah, I can appreciate MMA in the other content sports. I've been to bare knuckle fights and and I know people that do it, but it's not it's not in my plans at all. But if one of those big time names in MMA and Jake Paul wants to make a crossover fight in boxing, I'm all for it.

SPEAKER_00 16:06

I mean, you got the nickname for it, so the animal. How did you get that nickname?

SPEAKER_01 16:11

In the gym, sparring the boys, honestly.

Weight Misses And Fighting Anyway

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Okay, yeah, I figured something like that. It's it's yeah, like was he was your dad just like, oh, she's an animal?

SPEAKER_01 16:19

Yeah, like everybody would just be like, Man, she's like a beast, she's an animal. Like, because I'm relentless in the gym, like you can get hit me with something, and I'm gonna keep moving forward. Like, it's just it's always been it's just my nature, like like weirdly, violence is in my nature in the ring, uh, outside of the ring, total opposite.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

But um, pretty nice. Yeah, you know, that's lady.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

Because to me, it's a it's it's a sport, it's not like uh it's not my identity, you know. Um it's it's sport for me. So at the end of the day, like I'm gonna I'm gonna be the compassionate person that I am, but they don't mean I want to kill I don't want to kill you in that ring, you know what I mean? So of course.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

How let your last fight, she missed weight. Yes. Did did you feel that? Did you feel that? Did that play an effect?

SPEAKER_01 17:02

Uh I believe that will always play an effect when somebody comes in six pounds heavy. Uh because uh she was probably walking in that ring every bit of 130. And I've had that happen before out in California. Um, we weighed in we weighed in at 115, and the girl the next day weighed in at 130, and I weighed in at 119. I don't put on weight after fights because I don't drop weight. So, you know, it it is it it could be at a disadvantage of quickness and speed and and slowing you down, but also you could absorb your body can absorb more punches uh better. So yeah, that'll always play an effect. Um, but to each our own, I'm I'm really big on being professional and and I take pride in making weight. And um, you know, I I'll make sure every time I step on the scale, I'm gonna be on weight for sure.

SPEAKER_00 17:50

And they gave you like an option, right? Like you didn't have to take that fight. You chose, you still said screw up.

SPEAKER_01 17:55

I didn't have to take that fight. I didn't have to, but I I did, you know, I came here to fight and you know, I knew it wasn't gonna make a difference. There, there's nothing she could do to beat me. So at the end of the day, yeah, we're gonna get the experience, get the rounds in, get the experience.

SPEAKER_00 18:10

And a lot of people don't don't see that. Like the casual fans, oh, whatever, it's just three or four pounds. But then when they come in, it it's actually a big difference. It's a huge cutting.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

That's why there's a weight class every three, four or five pounds, because especially in the lower weights, you see it's a it's a smaller margin because in the smaller weights, it's a way bigger difference in in size. So um that there's a reason that's been in play for hundreds of years, you know.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

Yeah, exactly. There's a lot of weight bullies. Who's a who's a weight bully that you know of right now that's in the woman's boxing? Who's a weight bully?

SPEAKER_01 18:44

I don't know. Uh because you know, you just never know what they what they come to. I mean, at the end of the day, if you can make the weight, good for you, you know. So you you put in the work, make the weight, go ahead, do it. But I mean, I don't I don't care to do it.

SPEAKER_03 18:57

I mean, what what I'll be looking at like uh Fandora, like how the fuck he make weight?

SPEAKER_01 19:02

He just both both of them, like both of them. The sister's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Yeah, she is she's kind of big for small five.

SPEAKER_01 19:09

I invite I invite Fandora to 115 all day. Like, why not? You're five, you stand 510. Like you're way bigger than girls and damn at 147. So I mean, but at the end of the day, if she's making weight at 112, so be it. I don't understand moving down to 110 for what you're you're already fighting midgets at 112.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

There is an advantage there. Yeah, the fact that she makes that weight though is crazy too. Like, what do you walk around at without giving too much away? But is a weight cut harder? I don't I don't do a weight cut.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Look at me. I'm drinking, I drink coke. I don't, I don't weight cut. I don't, I don't, I walk around, I walk around light. I walk I never walk around 10 pounds heavier than my than my uh fight weight, but that also comes too with discipline and and I stay consistently in the gym. I don't I don't go on hiatus and and don't work out. I don't go hibernate and when I'm not training, like or if I don't have a fight date, I'm still in the gym as hard as when I'm training for a fight. Because to me, sparring is important. So I'm not gonna, I'll never step in the gym and spar at 50%. Like, there's no way. Like I I like to win in the gym too, you know? So like at the end of the day, I'm not gonna step in the ring and spar if I'm not in shape, in fighting shape.

SPEAKER_03 20:25

Yeah, if y'all seen her in real life, bro, she is cut. Nah, I see now. I'm like, uh like ridiculously cut. I'm jealous.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

I'm uh I'm I'm like the fatty cuts. Like, so when they cut me and they throw the fat on the side, that's my my cut. But you know what?

SPEAKER_01 20:40

That's a that's a mixture of of good genetics. Like, I have good genetics. I mean, y'all saw my grandma at 95 years old. Like, shit, yo, my dad is 63 and he does he's in shape. Like, people think like when me and him go out, like they think I'm his wife. It's annoying. Like he loves it, mind you, because like it makes him feel young, but yeah, yeah, well, like we we age well and and and the genetics, like I was always taught to work out, so I was in the weight gym at 17 years old following my dad. Like, my dad's my idol, so like you know, I was behind him working out, pushing weight at 17 years old, playing sports, and and it's just how I grew up, you know, it's just my lifestyle.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

It's good too, because you are in Florida and it's so much better, like year-round working out like here in the winter. It's like in the summer, we work out together, like more than and then the winter comes, you just don't want to go out there. Oh, I can imagine.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Like, I can't do anything. I I think me and Willie talked about this. I can't I can't do anything under 65 degree weather. Like I'm in hoodies in sixty sixty-five degree weather.

SPEAKER_00 21:45

Even at the gym, remember the heat was where the gym.

SPEAKER_03 21:48

Oh, yeah, the gym my cousin had. I was opening up. Like I was used to training the kids there and everything. So it's like no heat in that gym during the wintertime in New York.

SPEAKER_00 21:58

Which I'd walk in and all right, we're out of here. Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

But listen, the gyms out here, like in summer, is oh my God. You because most gyms don't a lot of the gyms are like warehouse space and they don't open up until like five PM. So like once that air, like you like you pull them doors up and that air is trapped in there, it takes hours for the air to to come out and there's no air conditioning in them. And then think about you're in a ring, so you're sitting high up. So now heat rises, so it's like 130 degrees in the ring. It's brutal. Like you have to make sure you're hydrated or you're gonna cramp up like crazy. But that makes you better though, too. The heat. Oh, definitely. You know, any any kind of environment that that uh people don't want to be in uh makes you better, I believe. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

So when when now that there's a fighter, the WBO champ, uh Mizuki Hirata. Haruda, whatever. When do you do you think because I I'm getting annoyed with her, I'm gonna be honest. She's she's fighting, she's fighting decent fights, decent opposition, but I feel like for her, it's time, you know. They they gave her the root.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

I think honestly, in the 115 division, it's time to unify. Like, like that was my goal. My goal when I won my WBA world title was when can I get I want my unification as quick as I can. Like, I've been looking to unify, you know, for since I got my belt, but you know, there's things, there's mandatories you have to meet, which my next fight is my mandatory. Um and she's from Panama, Natalie Delgado. Uh I know they haven't put up the name yet or released it on. I saw that. Yeah, I saw that.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

I knew you had a fight coming up.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

Yeah, so she's like in Panama, the media is going crazy over there, and she's fighting for her country because you know, Roberto Duran, I believe, is the last big world champion that they've had. So, you know, she she's fighting for her country and she's well deserving of it because she's held the interim belt. I think she's defended it two or three times now. And uh, you know, my from when I won the title to to now, I've defended my belt with nothing but top opponent. So if you look at, I won my my belt. Um, we defended against Lynn Sandstrom, which was sitting with the inner, I forgot which intercontinental belt she had. She was ranked number one.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

We went and did that. From her, we went and defended against the Italian uh um Silva. And she's she's in the top 10 rankings. I think she was ranked eight when I fought her, seven or eight when I fought her. So I've I've defended against any nothing but top ten opponents, and now the number one uh ranked girl again. So I mean, three times I believe three defenses, only 30% of world champions defend their belt three times or more. So after this, I want my unification. Once I get this mandatory, I want my unification with whichever champion you know wants to give it.

SPEAKER_00 24:45

So you are you are uh you have Latino background too, right? Correct?

SPEAKER_01 24:50

I'm 100% Cuban. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:52

Oh, you are yeah, I'm 100% Cuban on both sides. Okay. Cool. So then you know the the WBC, man, they'll they'll definitely give you a fight to be like Yeah, but but I'm not Mexican. So I'm Cuban, I'm Cuban first.

SPEAKER_01 25:06

We're not really rocking with WBO is Puerto Rican, you got WBC. I'm kind of on my own out here.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Yeah, I guess the WBA, man.

SPEAKER_01 25:14

And then on top of that, I I don't speak Spanish, so okay. I'm a counterfeit Cuban. Yeah, I do understand it though fluently.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Really? Really?

SPEAKER_01 25:24

Yeah, I understand it fluently, but I never practiced speaking it. But I I feel like if you put me in Miami for a month, I I'd probably be able to speak. It's just because I've definitely it's funny because the Latin race is funny because when you don't practice it, they're like, why don't you practice your language? And then you go practice it and they make fun of everything you say. So it's like, you know what? I give up. Just speak English. We're in America.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

And I'm not we're not trying to throw shade at the WBC, but like there is there is definitely some like they there's a little truth to every rumor, and they're they're kind of proving it time and time again.

SPEAKER_03 25:58

Time after time, you know what? Especially like with stripping belts. Oh my god, they are the worst.

WBA Family And Losing Grandma

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Yeah, you know, I have nothing bad to say about any of the sanctioning bodies, but I will say about the WBA, they've treated me, they treated me like family. They are family. And and to be welcomed with open arms to uh one of the biggest sanctioning bodies, if not to me the biggest, you know, they've been around the longest. Um, you know, the president treats me like his own. Like when my grandmother passed, you know, it was the weekend of their of their wedding. And this goes to show the type of people they are. It was a weekend of their wedding. And if you saw their how lavish their wedding was in Colombia, um, you know, uh, I was supposed to be there, but they took the time to call me and sit and talk with me and send me flowers. And in that moment, like I was like, wow, these are people that I will hold close to me for for the rest of my life. You know, they were they were there for me on one of my hardest moments and times. And and even with my last title defense, during it was such chaotic for them. It had to be because it was the WBA annual convention and I was fighting on it. And they had a big um, they had flowers for my grandma ready to give to her and walked, they they were with me in the locker room all the way through. And as soon as I was done, they're like, let's go find grandma. So, like to me, those are the type of people that that I will forever keep in my circle. And um, I I have nothing but great things to say about the WBA. So I will be part of the WBA family for the rest of my life.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

Sure. I noticed that too with the when you when your grandma did pass away. And again, sorry for your loss, but I did I did notice they posted like a uh something some kind of like condolence post, which you never see from from a sanctioning body. You don't think it's cool to see, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Yeah, it was cool because at the convention when uh when Mendoza uh got re-elected, he actually shouted my grandma out. He's like, you know, uh the WBA grandma and called her the WBA grandma. So to me, that like man, like it it just it hit me in my heart. So so for me to fight for them, like it just put that much fuel under me, you know, to keep that belt and and keep representing them the same way they represent me. And um, it's a beautiful thing, you know, it's it's a full circle moment.

SPEAKER_03 28:19

Yeah, thanks for sharing with them. Of course, yeah, that's amazing. That's amazing, yeah. Shout out to grandma, man. Rest in peace.

SPEAKER_01 28:26

But you know what? I say it like this she was 95, she lived her best life. The last year of her life, she literally did everything. Like she re met Roberto Duran, uh, Lara, like she was doing things people dream of doing, and and she never missed a sparring session. Like, I try to post her as much as possible, but what people didn't see was I didn't post her dementia. So she she had she was in the late stages of dementia. And um, the the most beautiful part about it for me was up until which this is crazy. I won my world title March 22nd, 2025. Um, she passed March 23rd, 2026. So when I woke up that morning, it was the picture of her with the belt, and it was just like, man, a whole year. Like it was just perfectly timed a year. And on top of that, my uh when we uh put her to rest, it was on Good Friday. And this year, Easter was on uh my birthday. So to me, like I just think it it was the right time, you know. It was it was God's timing, it was perfect timing because where I'm going next, she needs to be in that ring with me. You know what I mean? So I need her spirit in that in that corner with me. So um I'm gonna be stronger for it, you know. And I'm gonna carry her in every fight. Yeah, all the other guys is definitely dedicated to her 100%. I was gonna say, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Uh now knowing there's a lot of positives coming from that because now knowing what the what um your the WBA did for you. Oh absolutely. Uh so now you you're gonna fight for them even harder. So that that's it.

SPEAKER_01 30:05

Everything like I needed this, you know. I needed this. Um, you know, pain creates success, and and even though it's it's pain to me, it's uh it's actually a beautiful pain. And and to me, that's it's more it's more fuel. It's it's it's gr it's I don't know, it's it's kind of unexplainable.

SPEAKER_03 30:23

Yeah, well, you're gonna hear after the uh after you went, it's like I got a grandchild to kick your way.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

Every day my grandma loved fighting like wetland. I tell you, like she was she was definitely different, like by violent, but the sweetest thing ever. It was it was a front for sure. It was a front.

SPEAKER_00 30:44

She was a real boxing fan. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

No, listen, like she at nighttime, she'd be out at 9 p.m. Right every night, ready for bed, right? Boxing was on. My grandma is up to one in the morning watching the fights. Like, I have videos of her telling them to throw the hook and throw the jab. Like, and mind you, she had dementia, but she remembered boxing. And and that's another thing. Like, up until her last breath, she never forgot I was a world champion or who I was, even with her dementia. So to me, I'll carry that with me forever.

SPEAKER_00 31:16

It's awesome. Yeah, and that's like she was around for the so my grandpa passed away at 96, and he's the one that got me into boxing. Those were like the golden years, the the real years of boxing. Oh my god, yeah, great years. But again, you know, that that whole it's it is sad because that whole generation, obviously, the father time is.

SPEAKER_01 31:33

So that's that's your um that's your father's mother, or yeah, it's my father's mother, yeah. Okay, yeah. So we both kind of we kind of both took the hit um with it, but you know, we're we we stayed up, we kept our head our our our head up, and uh now it it's it's fuel for both of us, you know, because we we're in this together.

SPEAKER_00 31:53

Who was aside from you obviously, who was her favorite fighter back in her day?

SPEAKER_01 31:59

Probably my dad.

SPEAKER_00 32:01

Oh, okay. Probably my dad.

SPEAKER_01 32:02

Honestly, I I couldn't tell you because like she didn't remember a lot when it came to things that weren't super important. Um but um I don't I don't know if she was really familiar with names like that. She just loved watching it. She just loved two people fighting. Yeah.

Favorite Fighters And Studying Film

SPEAKER_00 32:20

You're a fan of the sport. That's awesome. Who's who's your favorite fighter that active or inactive that that you you like or you like? All-time favorite? Marvin Hagler. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:29

Hands down. Oh, nice. Yeah, Marvin Hagler means him. I honestly I'll watch every interview on him. Like, like I'm a I'm a boxing fan, like a fan. When I tell you, I know a lot of boxers say they don't watch boxing or they won't, like at nighttime. If my if my TV is on, I don't watch TV. If my TV is on, I'm watching boxing. And I'm probably watching old fights.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

Sounds like me. Just much better Ebbs. But yeah. Uh Marvin Hagley, yeah, that and that's where you get that mindset from, and that's probably part of the reason why you are.

SPEAKER_01 33:02

There's so many kind of like all work. There's kind of so many similarities when it comes to our career, you know, uh feeling like you you haven't gotten the respect and the sport um like you deserve. And uh it's it took me a while to get a title fight. Um, you know, just his demeanor outside the ring. He wasn't a trash talker, but he was firm. You know, he he did it when it was necessary, and just the way he carried himself, honestly, like all the way around. And then his fight style, you know, boxer puncher. Yeah. Um, I I love him fighting out the southpaw stance. So, you know, there's just a lot of things that I admire about him.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

Yeah, I don't know if you could see, but yeah, we got he's on the wall back there. Well Marvin Hagler auto. I had a scoop when he passed away. I was like, shit. Um that's awesome. And and yeah, I love to hear stuff like that because you he's a throwback fighter, and you don't hear a lot of a lot of active fighters uh who who like to throwbacks like that.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

So I love the I love the throwback fights. Like, I can't tell you how many times I've watched him and Tommy Hearns, like the best three rounds of boxing for me. Yeah, yo, ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

Style-wise, too, those those two.

SPEAKER_03 34:06

Oh my god. Oh my god. Do you think you have uh a fighter in your weight class that can resemble one of those fights that would make your legacy even better?

SPEAKER_01 34:16

Like which which I mean, honestly, if we're talking about Tommy Hearns and Marma Hagler or Fondora, if she comes up to 115, she's got the height, she's got the total height.

SPEAKER_00 34:24

Um she's coming too, just like you. She's she's come forward and it's good.

June Orlando Fight And Card Talk

SPEAKER_01 34:29

Yeah, I think it'll be a great matchup, you know. Uh she she's she's a great, she's a great fighter. Um, I'm not gonna take that from her. Um, you know, she has the advantage, she has a great fighter, and she uses her advantage. Um, and you know, so I take nothing from any fighter that actually steps in that ring, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

So your fight is coming up in June. Um, it it's in June, right? Yeah, in June Orlando. Orlando, right? Oh man, I want to go so bad. Yeah, you go on to the show. I gotta see. I'm going, I think June 14th, I'm going to Hawaii. So I'm so you should make a pit stop. Fly off Tampa. Yeah, but my wife was like kidding. She was like, she's like, oh, we'll go, we'll go the 13th and then we'll just go to Hawaii from there. I was like, all right. She's like, I'm kidding, you asshole.

SPEAKER_02 35:14

Like you can't make jokes like that.

SPEAKER_03 35:16

Yeah, no, no, no, I know. He's already in a doghouse. Okay, every fight, he'd just be dipping off on all the time.

SPEAKER_00 35:23

So like this last I was in fights, I was in fights in Georgia. Okay. And she was like, she's like, oh, it's Mother's Day. I'm I don't, you know, I'm not gonna go. I was like, you she's like, you could go if you want. Like she went on Mother's Day. I booked it and went. She said I could go. She said you could go. She was testing you. I was like, yo, Willie, I'm buying them. I went, but it was all bad. Oh, okay. She's fine. Yeah. I paid for I paid for Hawaii.

SPEAKER_01 35:48

Okay, okay. Yeah, you you redeemed yourself for sure.

SPEAKER_00 35:51

Yeah. So again, and I and I don't want to get obviously you're in camp, so we don't want to talk about vacations too much. No, that's cool. But what what is your dream vacation after Hawaii?

SPEAKER_01 36:00

Actually, I would love to honestly anything tropical. I love tropical.

SPEAKER_00 36:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 36:04

Maybe another cruise.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

Yeah, yeah. I don't want to mention it. Yeah, I heard that's how Willie and you met. That's how we met.

SPEAKER_01 36:10

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We watched the Crawford Canelo fight on the cruise. Like, that's legendary. Yeah. Legendary. That was.

SPEAKER_03 36:17

I couldn't miss it. I could not miss that. Yo, I had to tell you, my um, my cousin wife thought you was hitting on them. So I was like, hold on, that's a real chip. You go get your ass beat. No. Yo, that was crazy, yo. I was like, hold on. No, no, that's yo, she's into boxing. Yo, that was crazy that day.

SPEAKER_00 36:38

He texted me too. He's like, Oh, I'm with Jasmine Artiga. And I was like, Oh, I know who that is. I looked it up. I was like, Yeah, I I've seen you fight a bunch of times.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

Yeah, I interviewed Jenny Fuchs. She's like, Oh, yeah, yeah, seriously. Yeah. Oh, that was crazy, bro. What a time. Yeah, it was. And that was your first vacation.

SPEAKER_01 36:54

That was my first vacation I've ever taken in my career. Yeah. That was my first vacation. I was like, you know what? We've earned this. Let's let's go take a vacation. And my sister, my sister always tries to get me to go to like New York or places. I'm like, I'll do something tropical for sure. So if if I'm going on vacation, it's definitely gonna be give me some sun and water, and we're good.

SPEAKER_00 37:12

I'm the same way.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Honestly, if it's even a trip to St. Pete Beach that's 30 minutes from me, give me a hotel room there. I'm cool for like three days, but but then I'm I'm tapped down. It's back to camp mode.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Yeah, you're you're strictly business. I get it. Um, so we'll we'll be looking forward then. Again, we don't want to take up too much of your time.

SPEAKER_01 37:30

Um June 15th, June 13th in Orlando at the Crib Royale. It's um motion bag.

SPEAKER_03 37:37

I might be going. Yeah, it's gonna be a good card.

SPEAKER_01 37:39

You have O'Shea Jones's main event, Tara Brown. Uh Tara Brown's from Florida. Actually, I think me and her are the only current world champions that uh that hold about a major belt in Florida right now. Um me and her, that she's actually one of the only girls I've I've sparred that I I will spar.

SPEAKER_02 37:58

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:58

Because you know, she's elite.

SPEAKER_02 38:00

She could crack.

SPEAKER_01 38:01

Yeah, she could crack. She's a 126er, she's heavier than me. So um, but me and her are great sparring. I love sparring Tara. She and she's an even better person, honestly, outside the ring. If anybody gets into it, I met her.

SPEAKER_00 38:11

She was awesome too. We we met her. Oh, yeah, yeah. You all met her?

SPEAKER_01 38:14

Have y'all had her on the show?

SPEAKER_00 38:16

No, no. I do got to hit her up though. Yeah, yeah, hit her up. Message her.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

She's she's really I know she's in, I think she's in DC right now training. Um, or I would be get sparring with her. But uh, but yeah, she's on, she's which is cool. Uh, you know, being on a card with her because one of the first times I ever actually stepped into a boxing gym, she was already like on the Olympic. Uh, I think she was like an Olympic alternate. Um, she was in like that part of her career. And uh she was sparring, they were doing like uh Round Robbins, her and like two other pro girls from Tampa at the time. And I walked in the gym and I was like, man, like she was like, she was just going through them. I'm like, man, I want to be like her. And the crazy part is me and her won our titles on the same exact day. She was in Australia and beat Sky Nicholson, and I watched her fight that morning. And then I won my my fight in California the same day. So to be on this card with her is is is pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

That's that's awesome. That's so that and man, I gotta give it to MVP again because uh we we talk about it with every every uh woman boxer that that we interview. They they really are carrying it for you all. I know they just signed to Michaela Meyer. Yeah, so they just keep they keep getting all the big names and obviously what they did with with Amanda Saran.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

That's a favorite. Yeah, Michaela can Michaela can fight. Yeah, she's probably one of us too.

SPEAKER_00 39:36

What I like about her too is she's getting better. Like, she's the rough guy, and she's still getting better.

SPEAKER_01 39:41

She just does not make mistakes. Like, yeah, she just does not make mistakes. She's she she can fight for sure.

SPEAKER_00 39:48

He's a big Baumgartner fan. Yeah, I like Bum Gardener.

SPEAKER_01 39:50

I love Baumgartner too, though.

SPEAKER_03 39:52

So I mean I think she needs a new trainer. That's what I say. I don't want to tell that.

SPEAKER_01 39:57

I'm big on staying with the same trainer. I just believe in uh that loyalty and and having somebody in your corner that you truly trust what they're telling you to do. And if you follow that blueprint, and in honestly, like I would not be anywhere without my dad in boxing and and and his blueprint and his knowledge. Like you like, you think I love watching boxing? My dad, from the minute he wakes up to one in the morning, is watching nothing but film and fights. And my dad can tell you about every single girl in every single weight class. My dad can tell you about every single fight. And the the beautiful part about it is my dad can actually go back to his memory bank of seeing live fights live. So what we do is on our blueprints. And um what he what he'll do is he's like, he'll see what kind of fighter I'm fighting, and he'll go back into his memory and be like, this person beat this person with this style. And um, that's the style we're gonna use for this fight. So he'll give me every camp two fights, two to three fights to watch to take little things from. And that's how we come up with with our with our game plans and stuff. And and I know 100% if I follow what he tells me, I will execute and I will make the fight as easy as possible. That's only if I follow. But if I go in there and try to do me and not listen to him, then you know, it could go, it could go another way because he I do trust what he tells me, you know. So I think that's huge in boxing and and to have that person that like they you you you know, you know what they're telling you is is gold, you know. Yeah, no, that's that's something special.

SPEAKER_00 41:33

Trust is there. Are you are you open though to if your dad says we gotta bring another coach in, maybe? Oh yeah, we've done that.

SPEAKER_01 41:39

We've like it's never like I I listen and and I I listen to people like um Willie Monroe is out here in Tampa. And you know, uh Willie Monroe is uh is a slick boxer. So if Willie Monroe wants to give me tips or something, I'm gonna listen to Willie Monroe, you know, and and he's held mitts for me. And and and you know, we've I've I've learned so much from him. And and and if we feel like we need a certain style and a certain fight, and we need to bring in, you know, somebody to work with me with speed, like we're gonna do that, you know. So we're we're always open to getting better. Like that's the good thing about me and my dad is we don't think we know it all. We're always looking to to bring in what we can and improve. And and um I also have like Nonito Donaire in my corner, which is you know, a hell of a person to have in your corner. Yeah, that's that's he's worked, he's worked two in my corners, and yeah, and you know, he's a really good friend of mine. And and Rachel uh Donaire, his wife, is even better person, and and their knowledge uh is just having that in your corners.

SPEAKER_00 42:38

Donito's a shoe in Hall of Famer. So my God, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 42:41

So it's just like like I'm I'm surrounded by the right people and with the right mindset. And I'm I'm never delusional about where I'm at or you know, so like we're we're realist over here, and and and I'm in this for the long run. I'm not in it to to be popular today and and make money and this, that, the third. Um, but I'm I'm in it for the long run and leaving my legacy behind and doing it alongside of my dad. Like, what better life story, you know?

SPEAKER_00 43:08

So you your goal right now, your next goal in boxing would be to unify and then eventually undisputed. Is that the ultimate goal?

SPEAKER_01 43:15

Yeah, unify, unify, undisputed. Honestly, this this is this is my my mindset in it all. The only fights I want are prize fights. If you can make me a hell of ton of money or or or world title fights. So if you have a belt or you you have the market and you have the visibility to make me a lot of money. So that those are the only two fights I I'm really concerned with right now.

unknown 43:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:41

Uh moving up or you just staying at the solid at 115 right now. Um if I if I see a fight that is worth moving up for, like I said, if the money's there or if if if the world title is there, yeah, I definitely will move up. Uh I can move up to 118. Um, it's pretty close to my walking weight, but I'm I I'm sure. Strong, so I I wouldn't have an issue with that.

SPEAKER_00 44:04

Stay stay at 115. Let's let's beat Mizuki. Oh I want to I wanna I want to beat she's no uh not her, but like I the ring made her like uh whatever the ring champion. I don't know how they came up with whoever becomes a ranked champion, but I don't but like what you just said earlier when you were like when you explained how many times you defended your title, so on and so on. She has one belt as well.

SPEAKER_01 44:26

Like what yeah, and okay, she's I think she has uh uh like four or five defenses, but like her, I don't believe her opposition has ever been anybody in the top ten. I I haven't really looked that deep into fighting her because she I I look at what's on my table right now, I never look at what's really next.

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Um so she's never in like a high high risk, low reward fight. So it's like whatever.

SPEAKER_01 44:50

Uh I I truly feel I'm the best in the division in in in time, and with each fight I get better and uh the world will see it. And um, you know, I just keep my head down and and keep moving how I move and and know it's a it's a chess, it's a chess game at the end of the day, and and a lot of things go into play when it comes to making fights. And you know, we just we just keep navigating and I have the best manager in the business. I have Peter Kahn behind me, he has Xander Zias fighting boots, you know, at 23 years old. Um, you know, so I have I have a really solid circle, I have a small circle, but I have a really solid circle, you know, between Peter, the Donaires, WBA, you know, I'm I'm pretty, I'm pretty in my dad. I'm pretty solid.

SPEAKER_00 45:30

The MVP backing of the MVP woman's back. MVP as my promoter, you know.

SPEAKER_01 45:34

So I have the best people behind me. Uh so what more can I ask for?

SPEAKER_03 45:38

I mean, you blessed. I ain't gonna lie. That's you know, it seems like you got a lot of trustworthy people too. Oh, most definitely.

SPEAKER_01 45:44

I wouldn't honestly, I would I say it like this if I can't trust you, you you you're not in my circle, you know. So that is what it is. And in the in the minute I feel like I can't trust you, you know, then you're not in my circle no more. And at the end of the day, no matter what, it's always gonna be me and my dad versus anybody. So um it's just up to the others to to remain that loyalty to us. And and if you're loyal to me, I'm loyal to you. And that's just how we operate over here, and that's how I was raised.

SPEAKER_00 46:12

Listen, you you have it seems like you have all the tools, the five tools you need, especially the mindset. Uh sky's the limit. I mean, you you're a champion for a reason. You those belts don't come easy. Anybody that knows boxing knows that. Definitely.

SPEAKER_01 46:25

So and defenses are harder than than getting it. So keeping it is harder than getting it. And I understand that.

SPEAKER_00 46:32

They want to take the head off you now. Oh, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

Everybody's gonna come in at 200%, but yeah, but so am I, you know. So at the end of the day, I want to keep what's mine. And when you try to get something that's mine, it's not gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 46:43

Good stuff, man. We're we're here again. I'm sorry, we'll see. We'll see. Maybe I'll show up the 13th. Maybe we'll send Willie now. Willie have to go on a little trip.

SPEAKER_01 46:49

I know he's got that beautiful baby girl. Congrats, man. I don't know if he'll be able to make it now. His hands are pretty full. I know, you got a lot on your hands, and it's cool. You know, I know y'all will be watching, and and it's always appreciated, even if you can't make it.

SPEAKER_00 47:02

100%, 100%. All I ask is when when we do end this, if you could just stay on while it downloads, we won't be live just because uh to get the better quality. Again, guys, that's Jasmine Animal or the Animal Artiga out of Tampa, Florida. Great sport, great abs. My dog. My friend. All right, peace.