TheBoxingExaminer.com recently had a chance to talk to WBO/IBA Jr Featherweight Champion Ana “The Hurricane” Julaton (6-1-1 1KO). The San Francisco based Filipina will be challenging 3x World Champion Lisa “Bad News” Brown (16-4-3 5KO’s) of Toronto for the vacant WBA World title. These ladies will be battling on March 27th at Casino Rama.
How is your training progressing so far?
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Training Camp has been great! My strength and Conditioning Coach Lauro Doroliat is the best! This is the strongest I’ve felt in a camp. I know with Lisa being able to train 8 weeks that both of us are coming in conditioned. This is the type of fight that as a fan I’m excited about.
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I understand that you are currently being training by none other than Nonito Donaire Sr. What does it mean to you having Nonito Sr.’s experience in your corner?
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Having Donaire Sr. here since the beginning of the month has been very beneficial. When I trained for the Jeffries fight with him I was learning so much and now I really feel more comfortable with everything he’s taught me. I’ve been fortunate to have legendary trainers in the past like Freddie Roach and Rick Noble but Nonito Donaire Sr was the 1st trainer to get me to win the World Title and I feel honored to have a special connection to one of the best trainers in the world!
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There are people in the sport calling you a phenom while others are saying that you’re opponents are hand picked. Do you have any comment for your detractors?
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I’ve learned a long time ago that when you are in the public eye you will always have supporters and some will criticize you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; I’m just happy that I’m a cause for people to talk about women’s boxing. I train hard and my efforts show every time I fight. I always come out to perform for the people and I want the fights that will make the main stream media pay attention to how great of a sport women’s boxing is!
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What do you know about Lisa Brown?
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I have nothing but respect for Lisa Brown. I truly believe she is a legend of this sport, like Kelsey Jeffries. In fact last year Jeffries vs. Brown was a fight that was suppose to happen and it would have been a great fight. Lisa Brown hasn’t lost since Melissa Hernandez in 2006, I saw the fight in Korea and she got robbed big time, the Hernandez fight could have gone either way. In my opinion Lisa Brown is the one of the best 122lb fighters in the game today. She beat Ashley, Sitzes, Chavez twice and a draw with Garside. Fighting her for the WBA World Championship is an honor!
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Do you think it is a fair statement to say that Lisa Brown will be your toughest opponent to date and have you ever faced a southpaw as a professional?
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I’ve never faced a southpaw as a pro. I’ve actually had a great time learning the style. I’ve had great sparring partners in Pedro Rios and Glenn Donaire who helped me prepare for my IBA title match against Kelsey Jeffries. Glenn Donaire is like the big brother I always wanted! He has been so supportive with me and his entire family is like my own. I think Lisa Brown is my toughest opponent to date. For one I’m fighting in her hometown, she’s been undefeated in championship fights since 2006 and she has an excellent work ethic and has never been stopped. I’m looking forward to this fight.
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Lisa Brown stated in an interview with TheBoxingExaminer.com that she didn’t know anything about you! Do you think she may be underestimating you based on your experience?
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I don’t think Lisa Brown underestimates anybody. Anyone who has had the warrior mentality that Lisa has shown comes prepared! I’m sure her team has studied me well and it’ll be a great chess match between Team Julaton and Team Brown.
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You recently signed a promotional contract with Orion Sports Management who are based in Ontario, Canada. Do you have any trepidation about coming here to fight such an experienced opponent like Lisa Brown?
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I’m looking forward to making Canada my third home. I know the Filipino nation will be there to support me and I’ve been getting so much support from Canada through the Internet it’s been overwhelming. I can’t wait to land there next Tuesday. I know Canadians are very intelligent boxing fans and they know a good fight when they see one, it doesn’t matter whether it’s male or female it only matters that it’s good boxing!
To answer the first question, not at all, I think people forget that I fought Dominga Oliva in my 6th pro fight for a title bout all in my first year as a pro. I feel Dominga is one of the more feared fighters out there today. She had the WBC International title for a year and no one at 122lbs wanted to challenge her for it. It’s funny cause whenever I hear about someone wanting to challenge me, I found it strange no one wanted to challenge her. I’ve heard talks of other camps saying they’d like to go heads up with Team Julaton but I’d like to see those camps go against Team Olivo or Team Jeffries and see how well they do.
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I understand you are quite an advocate for women’s boxing in general. Do you believe that female boxers are starting to get the respect they deserve?
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I truly believe and it may happen when I’m retired that women’s boxing will be the reason why boxing will become mainstream again similar to what tennis has done. When you think of tennis you could probably name more women players than men players. That’s because people appreciate a sport where all the athletes compete and there is no question in my mind that women’s boxing is one the most competitive sports out there today. I think it’s fights like the one between Lisa Brown and myself or more recently Esther Schouten against Ina Menzer twice that are the type of fights that can continue to give respect to women’s boxing. Women who work hard to do everything right and spend less time complaining. Fans want to see good match ups and for the fights to be entertaining. I think that’s the way it should be. Give the fans the fights they are willing to support like this one in Canada.
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It has been said that few women boxers want to step up and face a real challenge you are definitely doing that in coming to what certainly could be considered Lisa’s backyard and you deserve credit for that. There is quite a large Filipino population in Southern Ontario and they came out in support of Marvin Sonsona are you counting on the same support?
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Absolutely! I think people were surprised when I fought Kelsey Jeffries in San Jose, a place she had been a draw and was undefeated in ten fights and everyone expected for her to have the home field advantage but the Filipino nation came out to support the fight! In my WBO Title fight at the HP Pavillion, there were only five bouts and the crowd supported my fight 4000 tickets strong. To have that type of effect on people is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I heard this event will have close to 6000 people that night and I promise to give them a great fight! I want the people of Ontario and all the viewers of TSN Canada and GMA Network world wide to know that I will represent boxing in the best light!
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Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?
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I’d like to thank all my fans and supporters who have been there since the beginning. Thanks to Allan Tremblay and Orion Sports Management & Casino Rama for putting up this great event, thank you to my second family West Wind Schools in the Bay Area, Lauro at Sessions Training in SF, Team Julaton and special thanks to Nonito Donaire Sr. and Glenn Donaire for their dedication in pushing me to be the best! To my Filipino fans across the globe I’d like to say “Mga Kapuso Maraming Maraming Salamat Po!!”
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Thanks Ana, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with TheBoxingExaminer.com.
