Interview by Pattee Mak – December 11, 2014
New England Golden Gloves are right around the corner so I decided to stop in at the Manchester Ring of Champions Society (ROC) in Manchester, Connecticut to see who would be fighting in the gloves and which of the fighters got what it takes to advance to Lowell. In addition to the gloves, I also wanted to personally congratulate Paul Cichon again for being inducted into the 2014 Class of the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. While at the gym, I realized that in addition to Cichon there were two additional trainers, Humberto “Berto” Vargas and Hector Rosario. I also noticed a few things have changed in the gym since I was there last. They had blown out some walls and added another ring. I can’t believe I’ve been away for so long. I need to get there more often just as long as Paul doesn’t put me through one of his crazy training programs or mitt workouts. Last time I learned quickly to keep my hand’s up at all times.
Pattee Mak: Paul it’s great seeing you again and your gym looks phenomenal. Before we start the interview I wanted to say congrats to you for being inducted into the 2014 Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame. What an honor. Tell me when you received notice that you were an inductee what was going through your mind at that moment?
Cichon: I was honored and shocked. I knew I always wanted to be in the hall of fame but I never thought it would be a realty.
Pattee Mak: Why is that?
Cichon: I didn’t think it would be me. I thought it would be more of my fighters.
Pattee Mak: Well someone at the Hall of Fame took notice of you.
Pattee Mak: So before I reached Mohegan where the hall of fame induction was being held, I couldn’t help but wonder
Cichon: Wait. [as he interrupts me] Am I going to wear a sleeveless suit?
Pattee Mak: Yes lol. What oh what is Paul going to wear? Sleeves or no sleeves. And I’m sure it was on other minds as well. Were you at all hesitate to not wear sleeves and what reactions did you get?
Cichon: No. People loved it. I just don’t like wearing sleeves. I never have since I was a kid.
Pattee Mak: Was your outfit going through your mind when you received word?
Cichon: Nope.
Pattee Mak: Let’s switch gears to your gym and preparation for the gloves. How many amateur and professional fighters are your currently training?
Cichon: 1 pro and 8 active amateurs.
Rosario: Right now I have 3 amateurs and 1 pro which is Joey Wilson.
Vargas: I don’t know the total. We kinda help each other out. I just help. Whoever walks in the door or needs help, I help out.
Pattee Mak: Currently all three of you are trainers at the ROC. I’ve known Paul has been there since it all began. Is it at all frustrating from time to time to train these individuals? After all you are dealing with people from different age groups.
Cichon: No never frustrating. Always a challenge.
Rosario: No not for me.
Vargas: It can be frustrating. When you got the older people here they tend to be here boxing and then they drift away and you put all that time in here and they don’t come back. Sometimes they come back. But when they don’t come back it’s frustrating. The kids have no control if they come or not. It’s up to their parents.
Pattee Mak: Paul awhile back you were training pro fighter Matt Remillard (23-1-0). He had a successful career until he fought Mickey Garcia (24-0-0) and lost. Do think the fight could have gone a different way if you continued to train him through his 24th fight?
Cichon: Yes. That fight never should have happened no matter who was training him.
Pattee Mak: You each have to have the passion that drives you each day to get to the gym, put on amateur shows, drive to other gyms for sparring and shows. What drives you to do this?
Cichon: Me personally I do it because I was an at risk kid. I’m trying to give back to them. I ended up at the boys club in Holyoke. I fell in love with the kids.
Rosario: My life. I love the life of boxing. I been doing since I was 8 years old. I been coaching for about 30 years.
Vargas: Just seeing someone go from a beginner, to learning how to throw punches, to sparring, to an actual fight. Being helpful towards their improvement. I look forward to seeing them improve.
Pattee Mak: I totally agree with you Vargas. That’s why I enjoy going to the amateur shows. I want to see who will be the next superstar in the making. Who has the talent. Who will make it.
Pattee Mak: Berto and Hector can each of you tell me a little bit about your background in the sport of boxing?
Rosario: I have been boxing since I was 8. I turned pro at the age of 22 and lost my first fight and a year later I started training kids.
Vargas: I don’t know. I started out in my mom’s basement. I bought a heavy bag and a couple mitts and a group of us started doing it that way. A couple of friends knew how to box and I started to train with them. Later on I joined a gym and actually had an amateur fight. From there I decided to coach. My coach led me the wrong way. I kinda saw that and I realized my coach didn’t take care of me like a coach should and I didn’t want to see that with any other kids so I started to pick up training so kids don’t go down the same road that I went down.
Pattee Mak: During training what responsibilities do you each have at the ROC?
Cichon: We all do our own thing but I like Berto because he reminds me of me when I was younger. His drive and passion for the game was just like mine when I started out with. Hector knows boxing and has fought amateur and pro. That’s why I brought in them both with me to work with Mikey [Mykquan Williams] towards his pro career.
Rosario: Helping and training kids.
Vargas: Paul is cool. He doesn’t put any responsibility on me. I just help out. Me personally, I hold mitts. If he’s working with Mikey on a big fight, I’ll work mitts with the other kids. To tell you the truth I just love helping kids out and it doesn’t feel like a responsibility.
Pattee Mak: The main reason I stopped in was to see the fighters who will be fighting in the Golden Gloves next month. I know Mikey will be in it but who are the others from your gym?
Cichon: Yes definitely Mykquan Williams, Leah Biron, Rose Gonzalez, Luis Santiago.
Pattee Mak: How will you, Berto and Hector be getting everyone prepped in time for the gloves?
Cichon: Mitt work, sparring, bag work. Everything is monitored. We keep it fun and it works. Like I said in my speech.
Rosario: Making sure they are running, sparring, strength conditioning and making sure they are doing mitt work and sharping them. Hopefully they do good.
Vargas: We come together and get them ready from a to z while having a good environment. We work hard here but we also have fun here. It’s a good chemistry. If you are comfortable getting ready for the fight it makes them want to get in the mood for a fight. We train hard over here. Kids want to come here and work.
Pattee Mak: Out of all your fighters which one during the gloves should the fans and other gyms keep a close eye on?
Cichon: Mikey.
Rosario: Mikey. He’s going to make it far.
Vargas: Mikey and Leah. So the other females in the 131 weight class watch out for that overhand right. Mikey is just fast and special.
Pattee Mak: Paul you recently had an amateur show on December 5, how did your show go and any more future amateur shows coming up?
Cichon: The show went very well and we are focusing on the golden gloves.
Pattee Mak: Mickey Williams [Mykquan Williams]. He is definitely exciting to watch. He already appears to me to have a pro style of fighting. Are you still anticipating on going to the 2016 Olympics and after the Olympics will he be turning pro?
Cichon: He cannot go to the Olympics because of his age. They changed it to 19. Instead he is turning pro on his 18th birthday.
Pattee Mak: When will he be 18?
Cichon: April 6 of 2016. So we are looking at promoters and opportunities as it stands. He will also be managed by Jackie Kallen.
Pattee Mak: Lee [Lee “Eltigre” Ortega (5-2-0)] you recently got back into the game of boxing and is currently training at the ROC. Tell me about your experience over there.
Ortega: Paul is a great person and I have lots of respect for him as a trainer all I seen is very successful fighters that he trained. It’s just sad how fighters start to detour to streets or problems where they end up separated from the game. Example Matt Remillard (Locked up), Miguel Ayala. Those were his fighters. Me I go to his gym due to I see the love and passion he shows the fight game plus I can vouch for him. He is a great trainer. I will say the best up here especially with the amateurs. He is top notch. As far as him, my trainer, he just lets me work out there he opened his doors to me out of good faith but my head trainer is Rob Lee Velez, Hector Camacho Sr (RIP) trainer I will be with him in December waiting to finalize this contract for my fight so I can lock everything in that is all.
Pattee Mak: What times are you in the gym?
Cichon: 5-7:30 pm Monday to Friday.
Rosario: 5-8 pm Monday to Friday. If there is a fight coming up I’d do Saturdays but only for the pro fights.
Vargas: At night and sometimes by appointment I come in the morning.
Pattee Mak: Thank you everyone for taking the time to chat with me. Good luck to your fighters in the Golden Gloves.
Cichon/Rosario/Vargas: Thank you.
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.
