JESSIE Cris Rosales is ready and eager for his fight this weekend after enduring a long and tiring journey from the West Coast to the East Coast.
“I already got the weight. I’m ready,” Rosales, who was nine pounds over the 126-pound limit nine days ago, told SunStar Cebu.
Rosales arrived in New York along with his coach Eldo Cortes on Jan. 16, after more than 10 hours of travel from his temporary camp in Indio, California.
“I’m feeling well because the weather is cold. I get tired if the weather is hot,” said Rosales, who had a two-hour stop in Boston before flying to Syracuse.
After training in Cebu, Rosales continued and wrapped up his training at the Coachella Gym. He put in quality rounds of sparring against the likes of former World Boxing Association (WBA) featherweight champion Jojo Diaz and ex-International Boxing Federation bantamweight titleholder Randy Caballero.
The 26-year-old Rosales is thankful for the huge support from his relatives in the US who helped him with his financial struggles there.
“I’m very blessed here because my aunts and cousins care for me here. We were struggling here because coach Eldo and I didn’t have any money,” he said. “We reached LA, and did not even have money to buy water but as soon as my aunts knew, they sent money.”
Rosales is seeing action in one of the main fights of a Top Rank Show on Saturday (PHL time) at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona. He’ll be up against former Olympian and young budding star Shakur Stevenson in a 10-rounder.
Even though most believe that he’s no match for the 21-year-old Stevenson, who’s dubbed by Floyd Mayweather himself as the “Next Mayweather,” Rosales has enough reasons to win - a family that’s been with him since day one and an opportunity to silence his doubters.
“I’ll do everything to win,” Rosales said. “Include me in your prayers.” (EKA)