Next Friday, April 6th marks the 2012 return of Thompson Boxing’s “PATH TO GLORY” series featuring undefeated Colombian slugger Darley Perez (24-0, 18 KOs) as he takes on Tijuana’s Alain “Konan” Hernandez (18-9-1, 10 KOs) as the 8-round lightweight main event. The event will take place at Doubletree Hotel, Ontario, California.
The co-main event boasts Riverside’s Jose “El Niño” Reynoso (15-2-1, 2 KOs) as he steps back in the ring after a short injury time out and fights James Hope (6-9-1, 4 KOs) of South Carolina in an 8-round junior welterweight clash.
Opening for the featured match-ups is undefeated super bantamweight Jonathan “Lil Thunder” Arellano (11-0-1) against Calexico’s hard-hitting Jose Angel Cota (8-6, 6 KOs) in an eight round bout.
Darley Perez
What does this April 6 fight mean to you?
For me, this fight is very important because it is here in the U.S. and I am learning a lot. Every day I feel like I am improving, so it effects my confidence level. So I am really thankful for this opportunity and taking every advantage since I am fortunate to be here and to experience a training camp like this one.
About his opponent, Alain Hernandez:
He’s a bit tall and I am not too familiar with him but I am training hard because I want to be prepared to battle a hard competitor and huge fights in the future. I am prepared to take Hernandez and as you have seen in my workout you can see that my talent and training will give me the win in this fight.
I started training for this fight back in January and you will see that the work that I have put in here at the gym I will put into physical statement in the ring.
How do you feel about the weather difference from Colombia to the United States as it relates to your training?
I am from Baraquilla, Colombia which is a very hot tropical place that is humid so the noticeable difference that bothers me are the mornings here because they are typically very cold and even colder when it rains. But little by little I am adjusting and becoming acclimated to the weather.
I feel comfortable in the United States. I know I have more opportunity to continue to prepare myself better in order to climb up the sanctioning ranks. So it’s definitely better for me here.
About Perez’s training regiment:
I have been waking up at 6:00am due to the cold weather but typically in Colombia I wake at 4:30am. After that, my afternoons vary somewhat. Sometimes I might spar. Sometimes I hit mitts and shadow box.
Jose Reynoso
What does this coming April 6th fight date mean to you?
I am excited to get back in the ring. I suffered an injury, so this last fight that I had scheduled we had to surpass. Now I am just excited to get back into the ring!
About Reynoso’s training:
I have been training for this upcoming fight since January. I don’t really know too much about my opponent. All I know is that we have been working really hard and come April 6th we are going to knock this guy out!
To train for this fight, I have been doing a lot of drills as well as stepping it up on the cross fit. I feel way stronger than ever before during any preparations for any of my fights. Were just going to put all that training into the fight and everyone is going to see the results.
On Jose’s absence from the ring due to injury:
It actually feels good. I have suffered a lot of injuries but I never really left the gym for an extended amount of time. People tell me that I might be a little rusty but I doubt it because I have been working really hard at the gym and have been taking care of myself. My conditioning is great and I feel good about my sparring sessions. My strength is there and my speed is there. So, my layoff is not an issue. I am ready to fight and be back in the ring.
What kind of things have Charlie Perez and Ruben Castanon done to make sure that you are not rusty?
We’ve been sparring. Like I said, we never really left the gym. When I suffered injuries, I only took the necessary time off I needed for my body to heal. As soon as I was able to walk I was back in the ring , shadow boxing or doing whatever I could. The key is that I never, ever stopped going to the gym.
At any point in this training camp, was there ever a time that during certain exercises where you would think to yourself that you don’t want to go to far for fear of injuring yourself again?
Funny you should say that… The only thing I do is look around and make sure that there is nothing wet that I can slip on. (chuckles) When I slipped on a pool of water I didn’t think that would happen but things happen for a reason . (Reynoso’s last injury happened while training to fight Dulorme. He slipped while walking to the heavy bag and injured his right leg). In the past I have suffered a lot of injuries with my hands but they are fine. My hands feel good. I am excited to get back in the ring and hear all the fans screaming my name.
Final question, you stated earlier that you were going to go for the knockout. In the past you haven’t been a big knockout puncher. Does that mean you’re really going to go forward and try for a knockout?
Yes, I have something to prove. I have been working really hard and feel really strong so the right thing to do is to knock this guy out. Since I am feeling as strong as I am, that is what is going to happen on the 6th.
Jonathan Arellano
For this being the 2nd fight of the year at Thompson Boxing I am excited because these shows tend to generate a lot of boxing fans and the audience is great and the vibe is good. Fighting under the Thompson Boxing Promotional banner is a great feeling, it’s like home. I am excited to start this year off and I am going to start it off right.
What do you know about your opponent and how have you been training?
I know my opponent is a tall fighter so I am going to have to use a lot of my inside fighting and draw upon what I have learned early in my career. I know my opponent is a tough, experienced fighter so I just have to step it up and continue train harder and fighter harder. Do what I do.
In training I definitely stepped up my conditioning a lot more. Also, practicing my inside fighting which is a lot harder to do because you have to continue to put pressure and throw more punches. I have just been preparing to fight a hard fighter of any type fighter caliber at a fast pace.
Ken Thompson
It is fantastic having the greatest, young fighters in the world here at these shows. What we would like to do is bring and build champions. What we’ve got here are three world champions on the make so what we’re looking for is in the next year to have all three of the kids in the ring fighting for belts. We have built a fantastic fan base that follows and loves these guys because they know that they are out to win and the opponents that they fight are real opponents. Alex Camponovo is one of the greatest matchmakers in the world today and when he put an opponent in front of one of our fighters, it’s a fighter that is capable of putting on a good show. We should win if we are ready and we’re always ready.
