August 21, 2025 • 33 mins
This week's episode of the Boxing Rush Hour Show features a pair of junior middleweight prospects in Justin Figueroa (12-0, 10 KOs) and Daniel Blancas (13-0, 5 KOs). We get into their come-ups and some of the highlights of their careers so far. They both have some interesting backgrounds.
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Looking to bet on the fights this weekend?Head over to my dedicated page at signupexpert.com/fightsATW to sign up to some of boxing’s best sportsbooks.
Looking to bet on boxing this upcoming weekend?Head over to my dedicated page at signupexpert.com/fightsATW to sign up to some of boxing’s best sportsbooks.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Worldwide, every weight class.
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(00:29):
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Speaker 4 (01:35):
All Right, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for tuning in
Boxing Rush our show fights atw dot com. I'm here
with junior middleway prospect Justin Figueroa, twelve and oh ten KOs,
twenty six years old from Atlantic City, New Jersey, who's
headlining on August twenty third San Antonio Summer showdown.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Justin. How you doing, man?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I can't complain. I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
I'm pretty eager counting down the days, but my weight
is good. Everything I've done in camp has led me
to this point where my mind said is if you're
not in shape, if you're not ready to fight by
now how many days are we out about eight days away,
then you're just not ready man.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And I feel pretty ready.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
That's what's up?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
All right? Listen, you're from You're from Atlantic City, right,
and you know, for those that may not be aware
too much of where you're from tell us a little
bit about growing up there and how the figure out
a household was growing up.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
Yeah, so growing up in a lank city, I grew
up pretty much in poverty with my family pretty poor.
But I won't say we were the poorest, because I
know there's people and families out there who's got it
worse than others. So I'm not gonna sit here and
act like, you know, I had the most most terrible upbringing,
(02:57):
But yeah, I was bouncing around house to house, living
in motel rooms with my family. Sometimes it will be
tough to you know, have certain meals for dinner at night.
We struggled growing up, but the struggle helped me create
a lot of character and built me to be the
strong man that I am today. A big shout out
to my father, who was pretty much like a drill
sergeant when me and my little brother was growing up
(03:19):
and living in tough neighborhoods, we had to learn how
to fight because one day I went outside and I
got jumped by five kids, got beat up by five
kids at once, and my dad kept me in the
house for two years after that and taught me how
to fight boxing wise.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So after those two years.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
He led me outside for the first time and I
just started beating up everyone in the neighborhood and due
to training. You know, when you train every day, when
you put the work, and you're gonna give results. So
that was my results at five six years old, seven
years old, because two years went by and he realized
I was just a good student and I listened to him,
and he'd started taking me to the boxing gym, and
(03:57):
it was it was all training. Boxing and training was
like just a hobby for the figure out a household.
That's what we did for fun. Sometimes we would break
dance and stuff like that that would be for fun,
but a lot of it was boxing and training. So
that's what we did. Growing up in the Lake City
was good for me because it was very diverse. I
had got to get that street mentality when I do
(04:18):
need that to be tough, to be thorough, and I'm
so appreciated for that. But then again, when I started
playing sports, they started to clean me up all around.
And I ended up going to a Catholic school in
high school and being around certain people.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And different endeavors in life. It helped me shape.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
It helped shape me to be the man and help
me mature to be who I am today. So I
feel that I'm all around. I feel like I'm clean cut.
But when it's time for me to get dirty, I'm
gonna do what I gotta do to win.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, that's what's uthing.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
And for people that don't know, like, listen, Atlantic City,
you know it's not all you know, bright lights and stuff.
Speaker 6 (04:55):
Yeah, you got camed in nearby, I trust me.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
I know even in Atlantic City.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Lane City was built off of glitz and glamor with
the Bullwalk and the casinos and the beaches. But if
you go a little bit behind that, yeah, that's where
the poverty is that.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, yeah, it gets it gets spooky real quick. So
you've been a pro for about three years now, if
I'm not mistaken, curious on after the time between finishing
high school and you turning pro. What did you do
during that time? It's about a maybe five years in
between there.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
Right, Yeah, so let me see my first cup. I
always stuck with box and I played a bunch of
different sports in high school and then before high school,
I had a pretty good amateur career. Started boxing amateur
at ten years old and I was living in Florida
with my uncle during the time my family was in
the motel room. My dad sent me out to Florida
and my uncle for a better living circumstance, and then
(05:53):
the amateur circuit out there was popping at the time,
so I was able to rack up some amateur fights.
But around twelve thirteen fourteen, I started playing I mean
he started playing football. I started wrestling, I started running track,
playing baseball, played all these sports which I wouldn't go
back and change for the world because it made me
a better athlete. I think the better athlete you are,
(06:15):
the better fighter you're going to be. So I did
that in high school. I wasn't really boxing doing high school.
I was pretty much a star football player, pretty good wrestler,
and then played other sports like baseball and track through
high school. And I had dreams of going to college
and playing football in college for football, but through the
lack of guidance, my grades was missing a bit my
(06:37):
freshman and sophomore year. I picked it up my junior
and senior year, but it just didn't accumulate to the
GPA that I really needed.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
To get into some of these schools to play ball
for them.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
So I ended up going to attending a Division III school,
Rowing University, and I was gonna play football there and
that summer in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I graduated in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, twenty seventeen, So going into twenty eighteen is where
I would attend Rowing University for a semester. And during
this time, I got football weight on me. I'm two
hundred and fifteen pounds. Thought I was gonna play football,
but I had just made the Atlantic City Beach Patrol, where
I've been a lifeguard for eight years now, and that's
been a great job to help shape me for who
I am today.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Also, but yeah, I was just trying to lose weight.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Man.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
So I got back to my boxing roots and I
was just working out all the time trying to cut
this weight.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I wanted to look good for the move head as the.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Ladies, you know. I just wanted that beach body at first.
But when I was out in college for one semester,
I was missing class a little bit, missing homework assignments.
And the major I picked and which was Health and
Exercise Science, I just kind of picked that. I wasn't
sure what I really wanted to do, and I didn't
(07:51):
really know what I was doing in college. So something
told me, you know, instead of really wasting money here
because I really don't know what I'm doing, I've been
partying a little bit, let me just go home. So
after one semester I went home back to Atlantic City,
and it was almost like it was meant to be
the boxing gym. My parents moved to a new house
and the boxing gym was two blocks away from my house.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So when I went home, I would walk to the boxing.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Gym the Atlantic City Path in Atlantic City, and I was,
like I said, I was just training just to lose weight.
I ended up getting down to like one eighty five,
and then I was feeling great cut up, got down
to one eighty five.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Boxing a lot, training a lot.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Then I started moving around with the guys in the
gym and sparring with some of the pros, and I
forgot how good I was.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I forgot that I used to do this as a kid.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
I was I used to win a lot as a kid,
and that was the potential right there, just spawning with
the pros getting in shape, I say, you know what,
maybe I could do this. So I found a good
strength and conditioning coach, kept going down, got down to
one seventy five and thought a fight. Fought a light
heavyweight fight in twenty nineteen, right before COVID, and this
was my first open fight back sent a kid. I
(09:00):
fought a dude from Philly. I was seventeen and two,
and people thought I was gonna lose. But the work
that I put in, I was pretty confident. And then
when the bell rings, something just comes over me where
I'm locked in. Remember that dirty side, I remember that
game side. Yeah, that guy comes out when that bell rings.
So I ended up winning that fight, and that was
more potential right there.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That I saw in myself.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
But then COVID happened, and you know how everything happened
with COVID, Everything got shut down, and even me, my
discipline got shut down. I started hanging out a little
bit because there was really nothing to do. I started
chasing the girls a little bit more, just all that stuff.
So I got away from boxing a little bit during COVID,
and then once everything started opening up, I was still
in the phase of having fun doing this.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Being young.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I'm twenty nineteen, twenty twenty one years old, you know,
being young and dumb and full of you know, what
but but yeah, I say. The end of twenty twenty,
twenty twenty one is when I started training real serious again.
I found my beautiful lady that I've been with for
five years, came across her, and something told me, like,
(10:03):
you know, so I could stop chasing all these girls.
I need that one good girl. So I got that
one good girl, and I was like, all right, it's
time to lock in now. So that's exactly why I
locked in training. Came across a tournament to compete in,
which is South Carolina Golden Gloves, and I ended up winning.
I fought two times in that tournament, South Carolina. This month,
girl from right there, walking in, I was just talking
(10:23):
about you and my first fight back since COVID. I
had a dominant performance in the first round of tournament.
Then I fought the number four guy and that won
won seventy five pound division, number four guy in the country.
Now she's smith and me and him had a good
fight and I ended up beating him in the final.
So I won that tournament. And I just kept seeing
the potential. Man, I just kept training, kept seeing the potential,
(10:44):
kept winning amateur fights in the elite open weight classes,
and elite open weight class, you're fighting pretty much the
best in the country, which sometimes it could be. The
elite open weight class is probably harder than the pro circuit.
When you first begin, you know how the pros get.
So I showed myself a lot of potential in the
amateurs back in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, and
(11:05):
after about ten fights, fought the Nationals. Fought the number
one guy, what's his name, Daunte Lane. Me and him
had a good fight. I thought I won, but they
gave it to him in the Nationals. But I got
a lot of good experience. So it showed myself that
I'm a good fighter. My discipline is there now and
it's time to turn pro. From Atlantic City, New Jersey
a fighting city. So at the time, it took me
(11:27):
about six seven months to really turn pro. After I
fought in tournament in December, I wanted the new year
to turn pro, but I knew I didn't want to
just turn pro. I knew I wanted to turn pro
with someone that would back me. Talking about a manager,
someone who backed me, someone who will have the best
interest in me, and someone who has connections. And it
took me a very very long time to find that
(11:48):
six seven months in the making and the work.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So I did my own research.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
I read a book Protect Yourself at All Times Adrian
Clark educated myself on the business side of boxing, and
I came across my first profession contract with a promoter,
and from reading the book, I knew some things are
kind of offishy, kind of something was off. And then
there was some things in the contract where I knew
I haven't really seen in the books. I came across
Adrian Kluck's Instagram and I DM them asking him about, Hey,
(12:16):
can you check this contract out? I read your book.
Long story short. He checked out the contract. He told me,
you know what, just wait off a little bit. So
I waited about a week and he got back to me.
He said, I have someone that I would like you
to work with. I'm like sure, He's like Joline Mazone.
I was like, oh, a woman, all right. He said,
she's very experienced, been in the game for about twenty
(12:37):
twenty five years. You know she's going to do great
things for you. And I said, let's do it. I
heard she worked with Atrogotti and Main Events, and Joline
Mazone has done wonders in my career so far. So
I'm very appreciative during that struggle and all my struggles
drawing my life since a kid, with my family, and
the struggle of even turning pro and finding someone to
believe in me.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
And now I have a lot.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Of people who believe in me, a whole city, my team, management,
my training team, my girlfriend.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
So a supportive fighter is a tough fighter. To be
a confident fighter is a tough fighter to beat. And
that's who I am.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah, that's what's something you know.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
I was going to mention that because I was like,
it's a whow coincidence that Jolene manages you, and you
know she worked with Artrugatti, who had legendary knights in
Atlantic City, So uh did it?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Did all of that? Like? How did that?
Speaker 6 (13:28):
How did that?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
How did you process that when when you understood like
her experience and the coincidence that she was, you know,
working with somebody so legendary like Rugatti, and then now
you from Atlantic City, you know kind of getting that
same energy.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
I mean up to this part we're training with getting
with Joline Mazone, the fights, everything in my career so far,
it's almost like I'm pretty much like I'm ordained for this,
this is meant to be, I'm destined for this.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
So that's how I feel.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
That's where I get my confidence from, along with the
training and the work that I put in with my team.
But I would hear all these good things about joelne
was Zone, so I knew and people would tell me,
all you got a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
You gotta go on.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Coaches that would tell me, I don't know what you
did in the world, in the universe, but you came
across a good one, and so I took everybody's word
for that. And then my first fight was at Bulwok
Hall and the only time I've been in Bulwok Hall, well,
not even been.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
In bow If.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
I remember being a kid playing Fight Night round four
and my brother used to pick Roy Jones and I
would pick On Tarogatti and we would play Fight Night.
I think I was fighting at two thousand and four
on the PlayStation two in Boulok Hall. So to fight
there for my first fight was very big, so I
knew everything that I was getting into. It meant a
lot what was growing from everything from the first fight
(14:46):
so up to now. But honestly, I didn't realize how
big Joelene was, how much respect she had, how many
connections she had, until she brought me to the IBF convention.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I was here in Atlantic City back in what was
that maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
June May June, and everybody was in here with everybody
at the IVF. Covessment was praising her, telling me like,
you gotta go one right there, you gotta go one.
So it was really cool to see all the connections
and everyone who believes in her, and I certainly do too.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
That's what's up, man, And real quick, we're gonna get
into You know, you're fighting your first eight rounder if
I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Second fight of twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Five against Jared Tenant nine five four KOs.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
He's never been stopped.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
He went through This is with Brandon Adams, Marquis Valler,
Kendo Castaneda. When you hear all of that, what's the
first thought that comes see your mind?
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Well, fighting in San Antonio last year when I fought
in San Antonio, the guy that I fought, I beat
on him for six rounds, but he just kept getting up,
kept coming forward. And that was the first time I
really noticed in a fight where I was like I'm
having fun. This isn't so serious. Why I'm trying to
knock somebody out like this? This guy's game. I'm having
fun now, I'm boxing, now I'm fighting. And we put
(16:02):
on a great show for San Antonio last year, and
I'm looking to do the same thing. I'm gonna come
out aggressive, I'm gonna come out to put on a show.
I would like to get to get a knockout, put
on a spectacular performance because the work that I put
in in camp definitely shows and I definitely know the
work that I did put in and this guy's game,
and I just want to give a good show for
San Antonio. But I am looking for spectacular performance.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
All right.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
And then lastly, what do you what do you expect
or what should fans expect from you? As we had
towards the end of the year and we start going
into twenty twenty six. From the career of Justin figure out, like,
what what should they anticipate?
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Well, first, they're looking for me to bring his belt back.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
To Atlantic City, and that's for certain, and I'm pretty
sure about that. Then in November, I should be fighting
here in Atlantic City and that's going to be big,
especially bringing a belt back, and I'm grown in here
in Atlantic City. I'm coming a popular name, the fighting
product of Lane City. I'm even going by mister Atlantic
City now, so it's funny. I'm having a great time here,
(17:09):
So that's gonna be big when I come back in November.
And then I'm gonna take the rest of the year off,
kind of recover and you know, focus on myself, have
some family time, enjoy the holidays. But I love training,
so I'll still be training, and then's starting the new year.
I'm gonna leave it all to Joe Lie maazon'sans. Whatever
she has planned for me, I'll be ready for it.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
That's what's up. And listen, Justin. I appreciate your time.
It was a pleasure speaking to you today. With you
the best of luck on your fight and moving forward.
And uh and I look forward to speaking to you soon.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Abraham, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
All right, man, all right, ladies and gentlemen, thank you
for tuning in to the Boxing Rush Hour show Fights
atw dot com. My next guest. He's coming up the ranks.
People need to keep an eye on him.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
And he's kind and he's moving fast.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
He's got a really really good, solid team around him.
He's thirteen to old five KO super middleweight prospect.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Daniel Blancos. What's going on, Daniel.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
How's it going? How's it going?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Thank you? Thank you? Hey listen.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Uh, you know we're here this morning doing this thing.
You're from Milwaukee, right, yes, Constant, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
The four one four. Not many people know about.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Milwaukee, right, So to start off, I kind of want
to get a little bit of an understanding of how
it was growing up in Milwaukee as a child.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
You know what your family dynamic was, you know where
you're the only child and you know those type of things.
So tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
Yeah, yeah, so you know I'm from Milwaukee. Uh, I'm
not the only child. I actually have a two younger brothers,
so I have an eighteen year old brother and a
seven year old brother as well.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Okay, all right, so how was it growing up in Milwaukee?
Tell us about that, because I don't know anything about Milwaukee.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
Milwaukee is real beautiful, man, it's beautiful. We we we
got a lot of nice stuff here. We got the bugs,
we got the Brewers, and those are my teams and uh,
and growing up here was really nice. You know, it's
a medium sized city. You know, I really like it.
I enjoy a lot of a lot of great food
here too, a lot of good Mexican food as well.
(19:22):
We got the what is it Miller like the beer
conn of drink beer, but you know, yeah, we got
a lot of beer factories here. You know, Milwaukee and
Wisconsin as a whole is one of the maybe not
a good thing, but it's it's one of the drunkest
cities in the in the US.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Okay, And so tell us about what it was like
in the house you know, Uh, did you grow up
with both of your parents? You know, how how was
growing up in the household like you know, Uh, there's
some folks that you grew up on hard times, maybe
others so much.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So how was that part?
Speaker 2 (20:02):
No?
Speaker 6 (20:02):
I mean growing growing up was it was good?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
You know?
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Of course, you know, every family has their struggles. You know,
not everything was easy for us. But my parents, you know,
I'm very blessed to have good parents. I got both
of my parents with me. They're both very supportive. My
father's one of my coaches as well, so you know,
they did a great job taking care of me and
my siblings keeping us on the right path, especially here
(20:25):
in Milwaukee. You know, it's it's easy to strive off
the right path. So I'm very blessed to have my parents,
you know, did they did a great job. So I
ain't got nothing bad to say.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
That's what's up. Okay.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
So how did how did boxing come into the into
the mix for you?
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Yeah, so boxing came My dad was a boxer, my
uncle was a boxer, and even my grandpa was a boxer.
So it's been it's been in the family. And my
my uncle and my dad started going to a gym
here in Milwaukee, and you know, they started bringing me
along when I was when I was young. So by
the time I was eight nine, my dad was like,
(21:06):
do you want to box? And you know, as a kid,
You're like, eah, you know, sure, why not? You know,
I thought it'd be fun. So I just started going.
And originally I started boxing because as a kid, I
was pretty pretty pretty overweight, you know, So I started
off as as a way to keep me in shape,
and then I just started liking it, started liking it.
So my dad's like, you want to compete, and I'm like, yeah,
(21:27):
I mean sure might as well.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
And then at what point did it become like real
for you, like that you wanted to do that? Like
what age was that where you said, you know what
this is, this is what I want to do.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
So boxing is a tough sport, man, of course. You know,
being a kid, you want to go play, hang out
with your friends and stuff. I had a sacrifice a lot.
You know, I didn't really have my childhood like you know,
like a normal kid has. I was missing out on parties,
you know, hanging out with my friends, going out with
them and stuff because I had to go to them.
But when it really like hit me that like, oh
(22:02):
this is what I want to do. Was I'm gonna
say when when I was like fifteen. I think that's
when I when I won the USA Championships to make
the USA team. That's when I was like wow, like
like this is what I'm really locked in, Like this
is what I want. This is really what I want.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Okay, all right?
Speaker 4 (22:21):
And then I read somewhere that you were going to
school for to be a nursing assistant. Did you finish that,
like talk to me about that whole thing?
Speaker 3 (22:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Yeah, So I went to school for nursing that's what
it was. I was I was going to school for that,
but man, that stuff is tough. That stuff is hard,
and it was taking a long time.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
You know.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
I was able to get my general courses done. I
started taking some of the human anatomy the chemistry that
we needed for the nursing part, and it was just
taking such a long time. So I told my parents,
I'm like, yo, like this is gonna take like four years,
and I want to go pro. So how about instead
(23:08):
of you know, being a nurse finishing full fully of
the nursing, I become a CNA instead, that's a nursing assistant. Yeah,
so that that's quicker, you know, I think it was
like three months I did the course. So instead I
did that. You know, I got my technical diplomber to
do that.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Okay, all I have that.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
That is my plan B, you know, just in case
because boxing, you know, nothing certain in boxing. You I
could get hurt, I could, you know, something could happen,
you know, God forbid. But at the end of the day,
you know, I got to have a plan A and
a plan B.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah. No, And and how did how did that?
Speaker 4 (23:43):
How did that career choice like come about? You know,
it's it's kind of like polar opposite of right, Like, so,
how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Yeah, that's what people say. I tell me, Like why,
Like you're a boxer, but then you you want to
be a nurse or a CNA, Like how does that work?
And I'm like, I don't know, you know, apart from
me being a boxer, I'm I'm a real good person,
you know, So I like helping people. I like, you know,
being able to help someone. That brings me joy. So
you know, even if it's you know, in the nursing
home or a hospital, Like, if I could help someone,
(24:16):
it just makes me feel good. And I also find
the medical fields very interesting as well. And you know
that along with that, that stuff is super hard, you know,
with respects to all the nurses, all the doctors, everybody
in the medical field, because that stuff is not easy,
and you know, we rely on everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
That's what's up? All right?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Listen, you had your your pro debut on March twenty
twenty two. Walk me through those feelings in that locker
room you about to come out with your first pro fight.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yeah, what thoughts were going through your mom? Always it?
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Yeah, yeah, I still remember that day. Man, my pro debut,
I was I was really nervous, you know, and it's
crazy because I've been fighting since I was like eight
nine years old, right, and for my prey debut, I'm
like really nervous, I'm overthinking and I'm like, man, you know, Like,
but then one of my coaches was like, it's just
another day in the office. You know, you've been doing
(25:09):
this for so long now, like how many fights did
you have? And I'm like, all, like over one hundred
and he's like, all right, so this is fight one
on one, you know, like it's just another day in office.
So you know, that stuck with me, and I'm like,
you know what, You're right, Like, I shouldn't be overthinking,
Like I gotta have fun. This is what I love
to do. So I was able to like get back
into focusing after that.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And then yeah, and then so after four fights, if
I'm not mistaken, you got with Team Benavidez.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, by Jose Benavidez.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Yeah, you're how did that come about? Because you just
don't stumble into you know, right with Benavidez.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
How did how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (25:50):
Yeah, So the way that I got with Team Benavidez
was like a year or two prior to that, I
was in California because I was visiting some family out
there and I had the opportunity to spar David and
my dad was talking to one of the coaches over there.
I forgot who it was, but my dad was able
to set up a sparring with David and we were like,
(26:14):
of course, like like it'd be an honor to work
with David. You know, I share the ring with with
the Mexican Monster. So we sparred over there. I think
it was the Brickhouse Gym in La Yep. And David
and Hose Sor they really liked the work, so we know,
we stayed in contact. And then it was for the
(26:36):
Plan fight. They invited me to camp so I can
help David spar you know and be a sparing partner.
And you know we were we got along real good.
They you know, we clicked. Everyone was treating me real good. Uh.
They really liked the work as well. So then host
Senor was like like joined the team, you know, like
you want to join the team and me and when
they were like hell yeah, like of course, like that'd
(26:57):
be awesome. So then ever, since. You know, we've been
working together and it's been a blessing.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
You know.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
I got so much love for Hoseaying all the Benevida's team,
and they've been helping me grow and every fight, I
feel like I've been leveling up thanks to them, thanks
to my father, and I'm just excited to keep to
keep on going. Really.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yeah, now I'm gonna ask you, how was that sharing
the ring with David, you know, such an elite fighter
and getting those type of rounds and like talking about
that experience.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yeah, definitely. The first time I start David Man, of course,
I was nervous. You know, I'm like, damn, I'm about
to get in there.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
With the champ.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
Yeah, but it was it was fun. You know. My
dad was like, you know, just do your things, be
smart more than anything, really focused on defense because David's explosive. Man,
he's fast, he's he's strong, and it's crazy. So I
was like, yeah, I'm gonna focus on defense and I was,
and I you know, I did real good with David.
You know, he really liked the work too. He was like,
oh man, He's like, you know, good job.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
You know.
Speaker 6 (27:58):
I really that was fun, you know, great work.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
All right, that's what's up man? All Right, what are
some of the valuable.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Things you've learned from Jose Senior being with him and
then being around the other fighters like Diego Pacheco and like,
what are some of the valuable things you've learned so far?
Speaker 6 (28:19):
Definitely it was when I first, you know, started working
with Jose, he was like, you have a great style
of great everything, but you know, you still have that
amateur style, like, you know, instead of sitting down on
those punches and really trying to hurt, Like at first,
I was still focusing on my speed and you know points.
He was like, no, like in the pros that we
(28:40):
got to sit down on those punches and do some damage.
So that was one of the biggest things that we
worked on. And just watching David train as well. He
trains like an animal.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Man.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
It's just super motivating watching him train, and I'm like, wow,
I could see like why he's at you know, like
because the way he trains is just crazy and and
it really opened my eyes because if you want to
be a world champion, you got to bust your your
button that gym every day, and that's what David does.
So that's what I've been taking away from that and
(29:13):
working with Diego as well. Man, he's a hard worker.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
You know.
Speaker 6 (29:18):
Every day in the gym, everyone's just training hard, pushing
each other getting better. So I'm real happy to be
a part of this team and everyone you know, gets
along well. And it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Man. That's what's up, and that's important.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Man. You've had two fights this year, with February against
one Barrajas.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Was one, but I was undefeated at the time.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Yeah, did you feel like this year you've gotten the
step up in uh in opponents that you needed at
this point of your career.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Oh yeah, definitely. I mean I have not had a
single easy fight. You know, every fight that I've had
has been tough, and you know, these these guys come
to fight. Especially when I thought Juan Brajas uh in February,
I could feel I could feel, you know, like he
wanted to win. I could feel that energy in the ring,
you know, because we're we're in there fighting, and I'm like, man,
(30:09):
like this he wants to win. But I mean I
can't let him take it away from me. So I
had to dig deep for sure.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Yeah, that's what's up, all right.
Speaker 6 (30:17):
And then like so who are you.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Do you have a promoter right now or are you
just kind of working with different folks right now?
Speaker 6 (30:27):
Yeah, I'm just working with different folks right now, Okay,
trying to see where we're at. You know, I've been
fighting on PBC cards a lot, so I'm trying to
get trying to get in there.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Okay, all right, and then what's what does the rest
of the year look like for you?
Speaker 3 (30:44):
How does that? How does that pan out? Right now?
Speaker 6 (30:47):
I'm actually gonna head back to camp in a few days,
so we're gonna get ready for the next one.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
I might have.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
I don't really have a set day for it yet,
but I'm gonna start. You know, I've been key is
staying in shape here with my dad over here in Milwaukee.
So once I get to camp, I'm just gonna get
right to it, you know. So I'm gonna get a
fight there real soon, and you know, hopefully I could
get too in. To be honest, I hope I could
get another two in, so I could, you know, keep
being active and keep growing, keep learning.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
All right, and then just real quick, like who are
you outside of boxing? Like, who's Daniel the person?
Speaker 6 (31:25):
Yeah? Outside of boxing? To be honest. Have you seen
that meme where it's like I'm just the chill guy.
That's really me. I just be chilling, you know. I
love to spend time with my family. That's the biggest
thing for me.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Man.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
It's God, boxing and family. Man, those three things. Man,
Without that, I'm nothing. I love spending time with my family,
going out to eat with them, hanging out with my
brothers especially. I'm real close with my brothers, you know,
I love them. I like to watch, you know, watch
some sports. Right now, only baseball is on, so I
just gotta gotta stick with baseball until or NFL Stars
(32:01):
and then I'm you know, I'm a cheesehead, so I
got to I gotta roof for the Packers.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
What do.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
You know?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Why should why should fans tune into your fight? And
and I always like to ask that question because you know,
we're in we're in the age where there's a lot
of competition for people's eyes, right, for their Why should
they watch your fights?
Speaker 6 (32:26):
You know, being you know, I think me being a prospect,
you know, I'm still proving myself. But to the fans
that have been watching me and know about me, they
know that every fight I come to coming and entertain
I always look to bring a good fight. You know,
it's the fans want to see a good fight being know, entertainment,
so that that's what I want to give the fans,
you know, I want to be I want to be
(32:47):
that person that's exciting to watch. Yeah, And and where's
where is the best place to point the fans towards
to follow your stuff?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Is it Instagram? Is it? Ex? Like what's the Facebook?
Which is the best place?
Speaker 6 (33:02):
Really, Instagram is where I'm most active. And it's one
of the you know, really Instagram and X. I gotta
get more active on X. But I'm really active on
Instagram and that's where you know, I have the biggest following.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Yeah, let the people know what's you guys.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Can follow me. Daniel Blanco is twenty four on Instagram.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, all right, listen, Daniel. I appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
I want to wish you the best of luck in
the future. Uh, with everything you got going on, I
feel like we're gonna be talking more later on in
the in the theater, and you know, keep doing your
thing and and we'll see, we'll see what happens for
your next fight.
Speaker 6 (33:38):
Yeah, Yeah, sounds good. I appreciate you for the interview
as well.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Everyone, thank you.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
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(00:29):
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Speaker 4 (01:35):
All Right, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for tuning in
Boxing Rush our show fights atw dot com. I'm here
with junior middleway prospect Justin Figueroa, twelve and oh ten KOs,
twenty six years old from Atlantic City, New Jersey, who's
headlining on August twenty third San Antonio Summer showdown.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Justin. How you doing, man?
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I can't complain. I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (02:02):
I'm pretty eager counting down the days, but my weight
is good. Everything I've done in camp has led me
to this point where my mind said is if you're
not in shape, if you're not ready to fight by
now how many days are we out about eight days away,
then you're just not ready man.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And I feel pretty ready.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
That's what's up?
Speaker 4 (02:21):
All right? Listen, you're from You're from Atlantic City, right,
and you know, for those that may not be aware
too much of where you're from tell us a little
bit about growing up there and how the figure out
a household was growing up.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
Yeah, so growing up in a lank city, I grew
up pretty much in poverty with my family pretty poor.
But I won't say we were the poorest, because I
know there's people and families out there who's got it
worse than others. So I'm not gonna sit here and
act like, you know, I had the most most terrible upbringing,
(02:57):
But yeah, I was bouncing around house to house, living
in motel rooms with my family. Sometimes it will be
tough to you know, have certain meals for dinner at night.
We struggled growing up, but the struggle helped me create
a lot of character and built me to be the
strong man that I am today. A big shout out
to my father, who was pretty much like a drill
sergeant when me and my little brother was growing up
(03:19):
and living in tough neighborhoods, we had to learn how
to fight because one day I went outside and I
got jumped by five kids, got beat up by five
kids at once, and my dad kept me in the
house for two years after that and taught me how
to fight boxing wise.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
So after those two years.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
He led me outside for the first time and I
just started beating up everyone in the neighborhood and due
to training. You know, when you train every day, when
you put the work, and you're gonna give results. So
that was my results at five six years old, seven
years old, because two years went by and he realized
I was just a good student and I listened to him,
and he'd started taking me to the boxing gym, and
(03:57):
it was it was all training. Boxing and training was
like just a hobby for the figure out a household.
That's what we did for fun. Sometimes we would break
dance and stuff like that that would be for fun,
but a lot of it was boxing and training. So
that's what we did. Growing up in the Lake City
was good for me because it was very diverse. I
had got to get that street mentality when I do
(04:18):
need that to be tough, to be thorough, and I'm
so appreciated for that. But then again, when I started
playing sports, they started to clean me up all around.
And I ended up going to a Catholic school in
high school and being around certain people.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And different endeavors in life. It helped me shape.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
It helped shape me to be the man and help
me mature to be who I am today. So I
feel that I'm all around. I feel like I'm clean cut.
But when it's time for me to get dirty, I'm
gonna do what I gotta do to win.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Yeah, that's what's uthing.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
And for people that don't know, like, listen, Atlantic City,
you know it's not all you know, bright lights and stuff.
Speaker 6 (04:55):
Yeah, you got camed in nearby, I trust me.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
I know even in Atlantic City.
Speaker 5 (05:01):
Lane City was built off of glitz and glamor with
the Bullwalk and the casinos and the beaches. But if
you go a little bit behind that, yeah, that's where
the poverty is that.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yeah, yeah, it gets it gets spooky real quick. So
you've been a pro for about three years now, if
I'm not mistaken, curious on after the time between finishing
high school and you turning pro. What did you do
during that time? It's about a maybe five years in
between there.
Speaker 5 (05:30):
Right, Yeah, so let me see my first cup. I
always stuck with box and I played a bunch of
different sports in high school and then before high school,
I had a pretty good amateur career. Started boxing amateur
at ten years old and I was living in Florida
with my uncle during the time my family was in
the motel room. My dad sent me out to Florida
and my uncle for a better living circumstance, and then
(05:53):
the amateur circuit out there was popping at the time,
so I was able to rack up some amateur fights.
But around twelve thirteen fourteen, I started playing I mean
he started playing football. I started wrestling, I started running track,
playing baseball, played all these sports which I wouldn't go
back and change for the world because it made me
a better athlete. I think the better athlete you are,
(06:15):
the better fighter you're going to be. So I did
that in high school. I wasn't really boxing doing high school.
I was pretty much a star football player, pretty good wrestler,
and then played other sports like baseball and track through
high school. And I had dreams of going to college
and playing football in college for football, but through the
lack of guidance, my grades was missing a bit my
(06:37):
freshman and sophomore year. I picked it up my junior
and senior year, but it just didn't accumulate to the
GPA that I really needed.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
To get into some of these schools to play ball
for them.
Speaker 5 (06:47):
So I ended up going to attending a Division III school,
Rowing University, and I was gonna play football there and
that summer in twenty eighteen.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
I graduated in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah, twenty seventeen, So going into twenty eighteen is where
I would attend Rowing University for a semester. And during
this time, I got football weight on me. I'm two
hundred and fifteen pounds. Thought I was gonna play football,
but I had just made the Atlantic City Beach Patrol, where
I've been a lifeguard for eight years now, and that's
been a great job to help shape me for who
I am today.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Also, but yeah, I was just trying to lose weight.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Man.
Speaker 5 (07:24):
So I got back to my boxing roots and I
was just working out all the time trying to cut
this weight.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I wanted to look good for the move head as the.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Ladies, you know. I just wanted that beach body at first.
But when I was out in college for one semester,
I was missing class a little bit, missing homework assignments.
And the major I picked and which was Health and
Exercise Science, I just kind of picked that. I wasn't
sure what I really wanted to do, and I didn't
(07:51):
really know what I was doing in college. So something
told me, you know, instead of really wasting money here
because I really don't know what I'm doing, I've been
partying a little bit, let me just go home. So
after one semester I went home back to Atlantic City,
and it was almost like it was meant to be
the boxing gym. My parents moved to a new house
and the boxing gym was two blocks away from my house.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
So when I went home, I would walk to the boxing.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Gym the Atlantic City Path in Atlantic City, and I was,
like I said, I was just training just to lose weight.
I ended up getting down to like one eighty five,
and then I was feeling great cut up, got down
to one eighty five.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Boxing a lot, training a lot.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
Then I started moving around with the guys in the
gym and sparring with some of the pros, and I
forgot how good I was.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I forgot that I used to do this as a kid.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
I was I used to win a lot as a kid,
and that was the potential right there, just spawning with
the pros getting in shape, I say, you know what,
maybe I could do this. So I found a good
strength and conditioning coach, kept going down, got down to
one seventy five and thought a fight. Fought a light
heavyweight fight in twenty nineteen, right before COVID, and this
was my first open fight back sent a kid. I
(09:00):
fought a dude from Philly. I was seventeen and two,
and people thought I was gonna lose. But the work
that I put in, I was pretty confident. And then
when the bell rings, something just comes over me where
I'm locked in. Remember that dirty side, I remember that
game side. Yeah, that guy comes out when that bell rings.
So I ended up winning that fight, and that was
more potential right there.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That I saw in myself.
Speaker 5 (09:19):
But then COVID happened, and you know how everything happened
with COVID, Everything got shut down, and even me, my
discipline got shut down. I started hanging out a little
bit because there was really nothing to do. I started
chasing the girls a little bit more, just all that stuff.
So I got away from boxing a little bit during COVID,
and then once everything started opening up, I was still
in the phase of having fun doing this.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Being young.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
I'm twenty nineteen, twenty twenty one years old, you know,
being young and dumb and full of you know, what
but but yeah, I say. The end of twenty twenty,
twenty twenty one is when I started training real serious again.
I found my beautiful lady that I've been with for
five years, came across her, and something told me, like,
(10:03):
you know, so I could stop chasing all these girls.
I need that one good girl. So I got that
one good girl, and I was like, all right, it's
time to lock in now. So that's exactly why I
locked in training. Came across a tournament to compete in,
which is South Carolina Golden Gloves, and I ended up winning.
I fought two times in that tournament, South Carolina. This month,
girl from right there, walking in, I was just talking
(10:23):
about you and my first fight back since COVID. I
had a dominant performance in the first round of tournament.
Then I fought the number four guy and that won
won seventy five pound division, number four guy in the country.
Now she's smith and me and him had a good
fight and I ended up beating him in the final.
So I won that tournament. And I just kept seeing
the potential. Man, I just kept training, kept seeing the potential,
(10:44):
kept winning amateur fights in the elite open weight classes,
and elite open weight class, you're fighting pretty much the
best in the country, which sometimes it could be. The
elite open weight class is probably harder than the pro circuit.
When you first begin, you know how the pros get.
So I showed myself a lot of potential in the
amateurs back in twenty twenty one, twenty twenty two, and
(11:05):
after about ten fights, fought the Nationals. Fought the number
one guy, what's his name, Daunte Lane. Me and him
had a good fight. I thought I won, but they
gave it to him in the Nationals. But I got
a lot of good experience. So it showed myself that
I'm a good fighter. My discipline is there now and
it's time to turn pro. From Atlantic City, New Jersey
a fighting city. So at the time, it took me
(11:27):
about six seven months to really turn pro. After I
fought in tournament in December, I wanted the new year
to turn pro, but I knew I didn't want to
just turn pro. I knew I wanted to turn pro
with someone that would back me. Talking about a manager,
someone who backed me, someone who will have the best
interest in me, and someone who has connections. And it
took me a very very long time to find that
(11:48):
six seven months in the making and the work.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
So I did my own research.
Speaker 5 (11:52):
I read a book Protect Yourself at All Times Adrian
Clark educated myself on the business side of boxing, and
I came across my first profession contract with a promoter,
and from reading the book, I knew some things are
kind of offishy, kind of something was off. And then
there was some things in the contract where I knew
I haven't really seen in the books. I came across
Adrian Kluck's Instagram and I DM them asking him about, Hey,
(12:16):
can you check this contract out? I read your book.
Long story short. He checked out the contract. He told me,
you know what, just wait off a little bit. So
I waited about a week and he got back to me.
He said, I have someone that I would like you
to work with. I'm like sure, He's like Joline Mazone.
I was like, oh, a woman, all right. He said,
she's very experienced, been in the game for about twenty
(12:37):
twenty five years. You know she's going to do great
things for you. And I said, let's do it. I
heard she worked with Atrogotti and Main Events, and Joline
Mazone has done wonders in my career so far. So
I'm very appreciative during that struggle and all my struggles
drawing my life since a kid, with my family, and
the struggle of even turning pro and finding someone to
believe in me.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
And now I have a lot.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Of people who believe in me, a whole city, my team, management,
my training team, my girlfriend.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
So a supportive fighter is a tough fighter. To be
a confident fighter is a tough fighter to beat. And
that's who I am.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Yeah, that's what's something you know.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
I was going to mention that because I was like,
it's a whow coincidence that Jolene manages you, and you
know she worked with Artrugatti, who had legendary knights in
Atlantic City, So uh did it?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Did all of that? Like? How did that?
Speaker 6 (13:28):
How did that?
Speaker 4 (13:29):
How did you process that when when you understood like
her experience and the coincidence that she was, you know,
working with somebody so legendary like Rugatti, and then now
you from Atlantic City, you know kind of getting that
same energy.
Speaker 5 (13:45):
I mean up to this part we're training with getting
with Joline Mazone, the fights, everything in my career so far,
it's almost like I'm pretty much like I'm ordained for this,
this is meant to be, I'm destined for this.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
So that's how I feel.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
That's where I get my confidence from, along with the
training and the work that I put in with my team.
But I would hear all these good things about joelne
was Zone, so I knew and people would tell me,
all you got a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
You gotta go on.
Speaker 5 (14:10):
Coaches that would tell me, I don't know what you
did in the world, in the universe, but you came
across a good one, and so I took everybody's word
for that. And then my first fight was at Bulwok
Hall and the only time I've been in Bulwok Hall, well,
not even been.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
In bow If.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
I remember being a kid playing Fight Night round four
and my brother used to pick Roy Jones and I
would pick On Tarogatti and we would play Fight Night.
I think I was fighting at two thousand and four
on the PlayStation two in Boulok Hall. So to fight
there for my first fight was very big, so I
knew everything that I was getting into. It meant a
lot what was growing from everything from the first fight
(14:46):
so up to now. But honestly, I didn't realize how
big Joelene was, how much respect she had, how many
connections she had, until she brought me to the IBF convention.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
I was here in Atlantic City back in what was
that maybe.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
June May June, and everybody was in here with everybody
at the IVF. Covessment was praising her, telling me like,
you gotta go one right there, you gotta go one.
So it was really cool to see all the connections
and everyone who believes in her, and I certainly do too.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
That's what's up, man, And real quick, we're gonna get
into You know, you're fighting your first eight rounder if
I'm not mistaken.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Second fight of twenty twenty.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Five against Jared Tenant nine five four KOs.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
He's never been stopped.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
He went through This is with Brandon Adams, Marquis Valler,
Kendo Castaneda. When you hear all of that, what's the
first thought that comes see your mind?
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Well, fighting in San Antonio last year when I fought
in San Antonio, the guy that I fought, I beat
on him for six rounds, but he just kept getting up,
kept coming forward. And that was the first time I
really noticed in a fight where I was like I'm
having fun. This isn't so serious. Why I'm trying to
knock somebody out like this? This guy's game. I'm having
fun now, I'm boxing, now I'm fighting. And we put
(16:02):
on a great show for San Antonio last year, and
I'm looking to do the same thing. I'm gonna come
out aggressive, I'm gonna come out to put on a show.
I would like to get to get a knockout, put
on a spectacular performance because the work that I put
in in camp definitely shows and I definitely know the
work that I did put in and this guy's game,
and I just want to give a good show for
San Antonio. But I am looking for spectacular performance.
Speaker 6 (16:25):
All right.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
And then lastly, what do you what do you expect
or what should fans expect from you? As we had
towards the end of the year and we start going
into twenty twenty six. From the career of Justin figure out, like,
what what should they anticipate?
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Well, first, they're looking for me to bring his belt back.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
To Atlantic City, and that's for certain, and I'm pretty
sure about that. Then in November, I should be fighting
here in Atlantic City and that's going to be big,
especially bringing a belt back, and I'm grown in here
in Atlantic City. I'm coming a popular name, the fighting
product of Lane City. I'm even going by mister Atlantic
City now, so it's funny. I'm having a great time here,
(17:09):
So that's gonna be big when I come back in November.
And then I'm gonna take the rest of the year off,
kind of recover and you know, focus on myself, have
some family time, enjoy the holidays. But I love training,
so I'll still be training, and then's starting the new year.
I'm gonna leave it all to Joe Lie maazon'sans. Whatever
she has planned for me, I'll be ready for it.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
That's what's up. And listen, Justin. I appreciate your time.
It was a pleasure speaking to you today. With you
the best of luck on your fight and moving forward.
And uh and I look forward to speaking to you soon.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Abraham, thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
All right, man, all right, ladies and gentlemen, thank you
for tuning in to the Boxing Rush Hour show Fights
atw dot com. My next guest. He's coming up the ranks.
People need to keep an eye on him.
Speaker 6 (17:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
And he's kind and he's moving fast.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
He's got a really really good, solid team around him.
He's thirteen to old five KO super middleweight prospect.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Daniel Blancos. What's going on, Daniel.
Speaker 6 (18:10):
How's it going? How's it going?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
Thank you? Thank you? Hey listen.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Uh, you know we're here this morning doing this thing.
You're from Milwaukee, right, yes, Constant, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
And.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
The four one four. Not many people know about.
Speaker 4 (18:26):
Milwaukee, right, So to start off, I kind of want
to get a little bit of an understanding of how
it was growing up in Milwaukee as a child.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
You know what your family dynamic was, you know where
you're the only child and you know those type of things.
So tell us a little bit about that.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
Yeah, yeah, so you know I'm from Milwaukee. Uh, I'm
not the only child. I actually have a two younger brothers,
so I have an eighteen year old brother and a
seven year old brother as well.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Okay, all right, so how was it growing up in Milwaukee?
Tell us about that, because I don't know anything about Milwaukee.
Speaker 6 (19:00):
Milwaukee is real beautiful, man, it's beautiful. We we we
got a lot of nice stuff here. We got the bugs,
we got the Brewers, and those are my teams and uh,
and growing up here was really nice. You know, it's
a medium sized city. You know, I really like it.
I enjoy a lot of a lot of great food
here too, a lot of good Mexican food as well.
(19:22):
We got the what is it Miller like the beer
conn of drink beer, but you know, yeah, we got
a lot of beer factories here. You know, Milwaukee and
Wisconsin as a whole is one of the maybe not
a good thing, but it's it's one of the drunkest
cities in the in the US.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
Okay, And so tell us about what it was like
in the house you know, Uh, did you grow up
with both of your parents? You know, how how was
growing up in the household like you know, Uh, there's
some folks that you grew up on hard times, maybe
others so much.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
So how was that part?
Speaker 2 (20:02):
No?
Speaker 6 (20:02):
I mean growing growing up was it was good?
Speaker 3 (20:04):
You know?
Speaker 6 (20:05):
Of course, you know, every family has their struggles. You know,
not everything was easy for us. But my parents, you know,
I'm very blessed to have good parents. I got both
of my parents with me. They're both very supportive. My
father's one of my coaches as well, so you know,
they did a great job taking care of me and
my siblings keeping us on the right path, especially here
(20:25):
in Milwaukee. You know, it's it's easy to strive off
the right path. So I'm very blessed to have my parents,
you know, did they did a great job. So I
ain't got nothing bad to say.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
That's what's up. Okay.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
So how did how did boxing come into the into
the mix for you?
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Yeah, so boxing came My dad was a boxer, my
uncle was a boxer, and even my grandpa was a boxer.
So it's been it's been in the family. And my
my uncle and my dad started going to a gym
here in Milwaukee, and you know, they started bringing me
along when I was when I was young. So by
the time I was eight nine, my dad was like,
(21:06):
do you want to box? And you know, as a kid,
You're like, eah, you know, sure, why not? You know,
I thought it'd be fun. So I just started going.
And originally I started boxing because as a kid, I
was pretty pretty pretty overweight, you know, So I started
off as as a way to keep me in shape,
and then I just started liking it, started liking it.
So my dad's like, you want to compete, and I'm like, yeah,
(21:27):
I mean sure might as well.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
And then at what point did it become like real
for you, like that you wanted to do that? Like
what age was that where you said, you know what
this is, this is what I want to do.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (21:41):
So boxing is a tough sport, man, of course. You know,
being a kid, you want to go play, hang out
with your friends and stuff. I had a sacrifice a lot.
You know, I didn't really have my childhood like you know,
like a normal kid has. I was missing out on parties,
you know, hanging out with my friends, going out with
them and stuff because I had to go to them.
But when it really like hit me that like, oh
(22:02):
this is what I want to do. Was I'm gonna
say when when I was like fifteen. I think that's
when I when I won the USA Championships to make
the USA team. That's when I was like wow, like
like this is what I'm really locked in, Like this
is what I want. This is really what I want.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
Okay, all right?
Speaker 4 (22:21):
And then I read somewhere that you were going to
school for to be a nursing assistant. Did you finish that,
like talk to me about that whole thing?
Speaker 3 (22:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Yeah, So I went to school for nursing that's what
it was. I was I was going to school for that,
but man, that stuff is tough. That stuff is hard,
and it was taking a long time.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
You know.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
I was able to get my general courses done. I
started taking some of the human anatomy the chemistry that
we needed for the nursing part, and it was just
taking such a long time. So I told my parents,
I'm like, yo, like this is gonna take like four years,
and I want to go pro. So how about instead
(23:08):
of you know, being a nurse finishing full fully of
the nursing, I become a CNA instead, that's a nursing assistant. Yeah,
so that that's quicker, you know, I think it was
like three months I did the course. So instead I
did that. You know, I got my technical diplomber to
do that.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Okay, all I have that.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
That is my plan B, you know, just in case
because boxing, you know, nothing certain in boxing. You I
could get hurt, I could, you know, something could happen,
you know, God forbid. But at the end of the day,
you know, I got to have a plan A and
a plan B.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah. No, And and how did how did that?
Speaker 4 (23:43):
How did that career choice like come about? You know,
it's it's kind of like polar opposite of right, Like, so,
how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Yeah, that's what people say. I tell me, Like why,
Like you're a boxer, but then you you want to
be a nurse or a CNA, Like how does that work?
And I'm like, I don't know, you know, apart from
me being a boxer, I'm I'm a real good person,
you know, So I like helping people. I like, you know,
being able to help someone. That brings me joy. So
you know, even if it's you know, in the nursing
home or a hospital, Like, if I could help someone,
(24:16):
it just makes me feel good. And I also find
the medical fields very interesting as well. And you know
that along with that, that stuff is super hard, you know,
with respects to all the nurses, all the doctors, everybody
in the medical field, because that stuff is not easy,
and you know, we rely on everybody.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
That's what's up? All right?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Listen, you had your your pro debut on March twenty
twenty two. Walk me through those feelings in that locker
room you about to come out with your first pro fight.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yeah, what thoughts were going through your mom? Always it?
Speaker 6 (24:49):
Yeah, yeah, I still remember that day. Man, my pro debut,
I was I was really nervous, you know, and it's
crazy because I've been fighting since I was like eight
nine years old, right, and for my prey debut, I'm
like really nervous, I'm overthinking and I'm like, man, you know, Like,
but then one of my coaches was like, it's just
another day in the office. You know, you've been doing
(25:09):
this for so long now, like how many fights did
you have? And I'm like, all, like over one hundred
and he's like, all right, so this is fight one
on one, you know, like it's just another day in office.
So you know, that stuck with me, and I'm like,
you know what, You're right, Like, I shouldn't be overthinking,
Like I gotta have fun. This is what I love
to do. So I was able to like get back
into focusing after that.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And then yeah, and then so after four fights, if
I'm not mistaken, you got with Team Benavidez.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
Yeah, by Jose Benavidez.
Speaker 4 (25:41):
Yeah, you're how did that come about? Because you just
don't stumble into you know, right with Benavidez.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
How did how did that come about?
Speaker 6 (25:50):
Yeah, So the way that I got with Team Benavidez
was like a year or two prior to that, I
was in California because I was visiting some family out
there and I had the opportunity to spar David and
my dad was talking to one of the coaches over there.
I forgot who it was, but my dad was able
to set up a sparring with David and we were like,
(26:14):
of course, like like it'd be an honor to work
with David. You know, I share the ring with with
the Mexican Monster. So we sparred over there. I think
it was the Brickhouse Gym in La Yep. And David
and Hose Sor they really liked the work, so we know,
we stayed in contact. And then it was for the
(26:36):
Plan fight. They invited me to camp so I can
help David spar you know and be a sparing partner.
And you know we were we got along real good.
They you know, we clicked. Everyone was treating me real good. Uh.
They really liked the work as well. So then host
Senor was like like joined the team, you know, like
you want to join the team and me and when
they were like hell yeah, like of course, like that'd
(26:57):
be awesome. So then ever, since. You know, we've been
working together and it's been a blessing.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
You know.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
I got so much love for Hoseaying all the Benevida's team,
and they've been helping me grow and every fight, I
feel like I've been leveling up thanks to them, thanks
to my father, and I'm just excited to keep to
keep on going. Really.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
Yeah, now I'm gonna ask you, how was that sharing
the ring with David, you know, such an elite fighter
and getting those type of rounds and like talking about
that experience.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yeah, definitely. The first time I start David Man, of course,
I was nervous. You know, I'm like, damn, I'm about
to get in there.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
With the champ.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
Yeah, but it was it was fun. You know. My
dad was like, you know, just do your things, be
smart more than anything, really focused on defense because David's explosive. Man,
he's fast, he's he's strong, and it's crazy. So I
was like, yeah, I'm gonna focus on defense and I was,
and I you know, I did real good with David.
You know, he really liked the work too. He was like,
oh man, He's like, you know, good job.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
You know.
Speaker 6 (27:58):
I really that was fun, you know, great work.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
All right, that's what's up man? All Right, what are
some of the valuable.
Speaker 4 (28:06):
Things you've learned from Jose Senior being with him and
then being around the other fighters like Diego Pacheco and like,
what are some of the valuable things you've learned so far?
Speaker 6 (28:19):
Definitely it was when I first, you know, started working
with Jose, he was like, you have a great style
of great everything, but you know, you still have that
amateur style, like, you know, instead of sitting down on
those punches and really trying to hurt, Like at first,
I was still focusing on my speed and you know points.
He was like, no, like in the pros that we
(28:40):
got to sit down on those punches and do some damage.
So that was one of the biggest things that we
worked on. And just watching David train as well. He
trains like an animal.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
Man.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
It's just super motivating watching him train, and I'm like, wow,
I could see like why he's at you know, like
because the way he trains is just crazy and and
it really opened my eyes because if you want to
be a world champion, you got to bust your your
button that gym every day, and that's what David does.
So that's what I've been taking away from that and
(29:13):
working with Diego as well. Man, he's a hard worker.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
You know.
Speaker 6 (29:18):
Every day in the gym, everyone's just training hard, pushing
each other getting better. So I'm real happy to be
a part of this team and everyone you know, gets
along well. And it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Man. That's what's up, and that's important.
Speaker 4 (29:30):
Man. You've had two fights this year, with February against
one Barrajas.
Speaker 3 (29:37):
Was one, but I was undefeated at the time.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Yeah, did you feel like this year you've gotten the
step up in uh in opponents that you needed at
this point of your career.
Speaker 6 (29:49):
Oh yeah, definitely. I mean I have not had a
single easy fight. You know, every fight that I've had
has been tough, and you know, these these guys come
to fight. Especially when I thought Juan Brajas uh in February,
I could feel I could feel, you know, like he
wanted to win. I could feel that energy in the ring,
you know, because we're we're in there fighting, and I'm like, man,
(30:09):
like this he wants to win. But I mean I
can't let him take it away from me. So I
had to dig deep for sure.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
Yeah, that's what's up, all right.
Speaker 6 (30:17):
And then like so who are you.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Do you have a promoter right now or are you
just kind of working with different folks right now?
Speaker 6 (30:27):
Yeah, I'm just working with different folks right now, Okay,
trying to see where we're at. You know, I've been
fighting on PBC cards a lot, so I'm trying to
get trying to get in there.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
Okay, all right, and then what's what does the rest
of the year look like for you?
Speaker 3 (30:44):
How does that? How does that pan out? Right now?
Speaker 6 (30:47):
I'm actually gonna head back to camp in a few days,
so we're gonna get ready for the next one.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
I might have.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
I don't really have a set day for it yet,
but I'm gonna start. You know, I've been key is
staying in shape here with my dad over here in Milwaukee.
So once I get to camp, I'm just gonna get
right to it, you know. So I'm gonna get a
fight there real soon, and you know, hopefully I could
get too in. To be honest, I hope I could
get another two in, so I could, you know, keep
being active and keep growing, keep learning.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
All right, and then just real quick, like who are
you outside of boxing? Like, who's Daniel the person?
Speaker 6 (31:25):
Yeah? Outside of boxing? To be honest. Have you seen
that meme where it's like I'm just the chill guy.
That's really me. I just be chilling, you know. I
love to spend time with my family. That's the biggest
thing for me.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Man.
Speaker 6 (31:39):
It's God, boxing and family. Man, those three things. Man,
Without that, I'm nothing. I love spending time with my family,
going out to eat with them, hanging out with my
brothers especially. I'm real close with my brothers, you know,
I love them. I like to watch, you know, watch
some sports. Right now, only baseball is on, so I
just gotta gotta stick with baseball until or NFL Stars
(32:01):
and then I'm you know, I'm a cheesehead, so I
got to I gotta roof for the Packers.
Speaker 4 (32:07):
What do.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
You know?
Speaker 4 (32:11):
Why should why should fans tune into your fight? And
and I always like to ask that question because you know,
we're in we're in the age where there's a lot
of competition for people's eyes, right, for their Why should
they watch your fights?
Speaker 6 (32:26):
You know, being you know, I think me being a prospect,
you know, I'm still proving myself. But to the fans
that have been watching me and know about me, they
know that every fight I come to coming and entertain
I always look to bring a good fight. You know,
it's the fans want to see a good fight being know, entertainment,
so that that's what I want to give the fans,
you know, I want to be I want to be
(32:47):
that person that's exciting to watch. Yeah, And and where's
where is the best place to point the fans towards
to follow your stuff?
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Is it Instagram? Is it? Ex? Like what's the Facebook?
Which is the best place?
Speaker 6 (33:02):
Really, Instagram is where I'm most active. And it's one
of the you know, really Instagram and X. I gotta
get more active on X. But I'm really active on
Instagram and that's where you know, I have the biggest following.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Yeah, let the people know what's you guys.
Speaker 6 (33:17):
Can follow me. Daniel Blanco is twenty four on Instagram.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Okay, all right, listen, Daniel. I appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
I want to wish you the best of luck in
the future. Uh, with everything you got going on, I
feel like we're gonna be talking more later on in
the in the theater, and you know, keep doing your
thing and and we'll see, we'll see what happens for
your next fight.
Speaker 6 (33:38):
Yeah, Yeah, sounds good. I appreciate you for the interview
as well.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
Everyone, thank you.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
It's the Box Show.
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