December 22, 1989 was the day Delvin Rodriguez moved to the United States from the Dominican Republic with his family in search of a better life.
Rodriguez has the chance to cap his journey this Saturday night, June 2 when he challenges WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin Trout at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles, in a fight that will be featured on “Four Warned” a rare quadrupleheader event that will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.
It’s been a long road for Rodriguez, but the support he has received from his family through every step of his journey has made him the fighter and man that he is today.
“When you start out, the money is scarce so it’s very important to have people believe in you,” said Rodriguez. “My dream was to be a world champion and my mother and my longtime girlfriend have been there with me the whole way.”
“I was nine years old when I came to Danbury, Connecticut and started boxing. Before that it was just baseball with friends in the Dominican. Boxing wasn’t as popular there at the time like it is now.”
Continued Rodriguez, “The boxing gym in Danbury was very close to our house and my mother liked me going there because she knew where I was. It became my playground. I loved being there with my friends and I took to it right away.”
“I have one son named Delvin and one on the way in September. My son inspires me so much to always do better. He’s my biggest fan.”
Rodriguez carries his ties to the Dominican Republic into each of his fights. “I still have a lot of family there. They watch all my fights and are some of my biggest fans. I go back twice a year and it’s nice to see now that boxing has become popular.”
This past Saturday, Delvin’s hometown of Danbury hosted an open workout for him before he left for California. “It was an open workout and just a great opportunity to see so many of my neighbors and people from the town who have been in my corner since I was an amateur.”
On Saturday night, Rodriguez will enter the ring as he seeks to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion. “I’m ready. It’s been a long road here, but it will be that much more special to become a world champion.”
