Interview of Jose “Cheloman” Alonzo by Pattee Mak on December 12, 2011
On February 10, 2012 at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida once again the current USA Florida State super middleweight champ and former WBA fedecentro super middleweight champ Jose “Cheloman” Alonzo (13-0-0 with 7 KO’s) will be fighting in the main event. I had the chance to speak with Cheloman about his upcoming bout and who he is looking to call out next.
Pattee: CHELOMAN!!! The last time we spoke you were preparing yourself to fight against Adam Jaco for the vacant USA Florida State super middleweight title in which you successfully won it by a split decision. Tell me about that fight?
Jose: It was a good fight. Physically, mentally, emotionally I was prepared for this fight. One of the best training camps I ever had. I had my step-dad Nelson Saldana, Legendary trainer Don Kahn. Kahn trained Alexis Arguello. Hall of Famer Leo Thalassites as my conditioning coach. He conditioned Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Macho Camacho and so on. Jim McLoughlin another Hall of Famer in my corner. He was my cutman and my advisor. Carlos Rivera he held the mitts for me. John Cassella my manager, he put it all together. For the first time I was prepared for whatever happened. I got hit with big body shot and it didn’t phase me. It surprised me for him to be using the jab. He had a plan for me for the first two rounds. I think he won the first two rounds. After the 2nd round my corner told me to be aggressive. He was holding me a lot and we knew that was his fighting style. I’m not mad for what he was doing. He had to do what he had to do to win. I split his eye open and caught him with body shots. That is pretty much how the fight went thru the 8th round.
Pattee: For your upcoming bout on February 10 will you be defending your title?
Jose: I won’t be defending my title and I’m not aware that I have to defend it. But I’m hopefully going to go after another title that night. Either way I’m definitely fighting that night.
Pattee: Due to sanctioning rules will you have to be defending your title soon?
Jose: For the February 10, 2012 fight I don’t believe I will be defending the title but I’m waiting to hear from the NBA.
Pattee: Is anyone knocking on your door for a title shot?
Jose: No not yet. But we are hoping for it in the upcoming year.
Pattee: Since we are talking about title shots I heard you are looking for another belt to add to your collection. The NBAW Youth Intercontinental super middleweight belt.
Jose: Actually when I worked the corner of Brian Chiary (10-9-1) back in August of this year, me personally but not because Brian is my friend, I don’t think Loren Myers (8-14-1) won that fight. But it is what it is and the judges make the decision at the end of the day. So after the decision was announced I called him out right then and there and I said he should defend that title against me and he said that I would have to come to California and I said I’ll fight you wherever. I’m still waiting for the contracts to be signed. For me its doesn’t matter, but Fight Night Productions, one of the owners, Shea Bailey and Aaron Jacobs, they reached out to Myers’ camp and he said he’ll let us know by January. I just don’t understand how he is able to fight and not defend the title and with me it’s always an excuse. Myers I follow on facebook and from what I read he’s a great father and great man in general but business is business and I want to fight for two reasons. I don’t think he beat Brian [Chiary] and he has what I want and that’s the NBAW Youth Intercontinental super middleweight title. I don’t know how much more we need to pursue the situation but he’s the champion and that’s what happens. He sent me a facebook message and said he’ll see me in 2012. So I want this fight to happen and I want the belt and we’ll give him his 8 weeks to train. Whatever he needs. Who knows, maybe Myers is afraid to fight me. He fought twice since he fought Brian in August.
Pattee: So when Loren Myers reads this article and feels he’ll win and retain his belt, whom should he contact to put this fight together?
Jose: Aaron Jacobs or Shea Bailey from Fight Night Productions.
Pattee: I definitely would like to see this fight happen.
Pattee: Training camp?
Jose: The last training camp was in Florida, but I think I’m gonna head out to Puerto Rico with my step-dad Nelson and my trainer Kahn in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Pattee: For how many weeks?
Jose: I am going to be training this week in Florida and leave the week of Christmas till February 6, 2012. I’m gonna miss Christmas but I’m gonna do what I got to do. My daughter and my son understand where I’m at in my life but they understand what I have to do in order to reach my goals that I’m looking at which is to be a world champion. GOD willing.
Pattee: Do you find it difficult to train for this fight since you don’t know whom your opponent will be?
Jose: Nah. Pretty much that is how my career has been. Only a few fights I knew who I was fighting. Ya never know in boxing so pretty much anything could happen. That is the way we just train. Once I get to Puerto Rico we should know who I’ll be fighting, Hopefully it will be Loren Myers and I know his record isn’t the best record in the world but he has something that I want and that’s the belt. I don’t under estimate anyone.
Pattee: Besides his record, what else can you tell me about Myers as a fighter?
Jose: Truthfully he comes to fight. He is a tough fighter. He comes straightforward and he goes in there to fight. I seen him fight Brian [Chiary]. He’s a straightforward fighter. Overall I like him as an individual person but overall he has what I want.
Pattee: You are a man of God. Tell me how you combine your faith with boxing.
Jose: Pretty much I thank GOD every day. I ask God to give me faith every day. This fight I’ve asked him to continue to give me the strength. I thank him every day for the blessings he’s given to me.
Pattee: Is there anyone you’d like to thank?
Jose: I would like to thank Anthony Corio and Salon Italia along with Congress Chiropractic and Dr. Connor and his wife Amber for everything they’ve done for me and during my healing progress. When I hurt my lat he was the one that rehabilitated my shoulder injury and I would really would like to thank my kids Nyasia and son Jose, Jr., and my finance Joselin and my entire family. Most of all Team Chelo Fans.
Thank you so much for this interview. If you wish to follow Jose Alonzo’s boxing career you can find him on facebook under “Chelo Man” or “like” his like page at “Team_Chelo”.
For questions, concerns or suggestions feel free to comment below or locate me on facebook under “Pattee Mak”.
To view Jose “Cheloman” Alonzo’s previous article click here: http://bit.ly/FightKingsAlonzo.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
