Tis a lesson you should heed, Try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, Try, try again. – Thomas H. Palmer (1782 – 1861) Teacher’s Manual (1840) All men have dreams. As time goes by and life solidifies into familiar day to day patterns, most men watch their dreams evaporate. Professional boxers, with their dreams to become world champions, suffer the same fate as the rest of humanity.
How many young pugs come out of gyms across the globe with the glossy eyed ambition of becoming a world champion, attracting seven figure pay days, and transcending into the pantheon of the sport’s legend?
Hundreds.
Ricardo “Rocky” Juarez has been following his dream and has accomplished a good amount to be proud of as a boxer. During the 2000 Olympic games, Rocky captured the silver medal as a featherweight. A year earlier, he won the world amateur title in his hometown of Houston.
Coming out of the amateurs, he was signed to a promotional deal with Main Events and managed by one of boxing’s best Shelly Finkel. As a twenty-seven year old, Juarez has a record of 27 wins, three losses, with 19 knockouts.
Yet all the successes aside, Juarez has not dominated or become a focal point in a sport desperate for American-born heroes.
An inability to become one of boxing’s true elite figures has not been due to lack of opportunity. Juarez has been a regular on HBO over the years, but his performances have been less than sterling. Against Zahir Raheem, he took a controversial hometown decision. His next appearance on HBO marked his first loss, as upset at the gloves of Humberto Soto.
Even with his poor performances, Juarez received a crack at one of boxing’s true legends, Marco Antonio Barrera in a 2006 classic. Juarez gave Barrera all he could en route to a somewhat controversial split decision defeat; the bout was ruled a draw, but two judges revealed errors on their scorecards later. When given another opportunity in a rematch with Barrera, Juarez shot a blank, out boxed en route to a unanimous decision loss..
Though he has not lived up to the hype surrounding his exit from the amateurs, Juarez was still signed to an exclusive contract with one of boxing’s truly elite promotional firms, Golden Boy. Being brought along slowly after two losses to Barrera, Juarez was scheduled to face off with IBF featherweight champion Robert Guerrero on Golden Boy’s September 15 pay per view card featuring Juan Manuel Marquez against Jorge Barrios.
While Juarez has stood at the door of opportunity several times, he has never kicked the door down and taken the glory that lays beyond its threshold. Luckily, fate has brought him to the door once again. When Jorge Barrios had to pull out of the fight with Marquez, Golden Boy Promotions dialed Juarez’s number.
“I got the call from my manager when Barrios was injured,” said Juarez. “I do not put anymore pressure on myself than any other fight. I realize it is a great opportunity against a great fight, but I am prepared to win.”
In what can be his final chance to grab hold the attention of the boxing world, Juarez will find himself against one of the most complete fighters in the game. Marquez never received the accolades of his contemporaries (Barrera and Erik Morales), but he is one of the grand masters of the game and Juarez recognizes the task at hand.
“Marquez is a good fighter,” commented Rocky. “But I have been in there with Barrera and feel like I did enough to win. I will come to bring the action against Juan Manuel.”
Though some critics may argue, Juarez has been give one to many opportunities, one must credit his grit. Through all the difficulties and set backs Juarez has remained positive and confident, the traits of many a successful man.
On September 15, at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas Nevada the boxing world and more importantly, Mr. Ricardo Juarez himself will discover his stubborn chase of a dream will pay-off.
