Chordale Booker will take his skills to a brand new weight class.
Booker will make his debut at middleweight Saturday night time, as he squares off towards Brian Chavez of Argentina on the Mohegan Solar Area in Uncasville, Connecticut. The ten-round bout will headline a Championship Boxing 2024 card that shall be promoted by longtime promoter Jimmy Burchfield.
The 33-year-old Booker (22-1, 10 knockouts), who resides in close by Stamford, has fought a handful of occasions at 160 kilos, however not too long ago campaigned as a junior middleweight, even successful a WBC regional title belt at 154 kilos.
In his final bout on February 3, Booker gained by unanimous determination over Greg Vendetti. Booker missed weight, coming in a pound above the junior middleweight restrict, and was stripped of his WBC regional title. It was then that Booker and his group believed the appropriate transfer was to go up in weight and compete at 160 kilos.
“That was truthfully a troublesome battle, stylistically,” stated Booker, who’s managed by Paul Guarino. “Vendetti’s form of like an old-fashioned fighter in the best way he tip his head over and place himself down low, form of like a Jack Dempsey. It made it powerful to throw punches precisely the place he was going to be, however I figured it out by the rounds and began to position some pictures and catch him whereas he was ducking.”
Whereas Vendetti is a stress fighter who makes use of his awkwardness, Booker will face a very totally different fighter in Chavez (14-4, 5 KOs).
The southpaw Booker, a standout beginner who was a runner up on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, turned to a well-recognized particular person in IBF world welterweight titleholder Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to coach alongside in preparation for this battle. Booker traveled to Ennis’ hometown of Philadelphia to coach with him.
The period of time spent coaching with Ennis solidified Booker’s confidence going into the battle towards Chavez.
“I’m going to indicate that (Chavez) doesn’t belong within the ring with me,” stated Booker, who additionally made his professional debut in 2016. “From the movies I’ve seen, he’s extra of a boxer. He needs to attempt to transfer his ft, transfer his head. I had 137 beginner fights, and he doesn’t appear like something I haven’t seen earlier than. There’s nothing particular that stands out to me about him, so I’m going to go in there and do what I need. I’m gonna see what he has, what punches he’s in search of, and after that, I’m gonna take him out.
“I got here up with (Ennie) within the amateurs, and I knew it will be the perfect work. ‘Boots’ is a high expertise. I’ve the perfect lefty in entrance of me and I’m getting ready for the perfect model of Chavez, so some (this Saturday), if this man isn’t ‘Boots,’ I ought to win huge.”
Booker has gained his final 5 fights since struggling his solely defeat by the hands of then-unbeaten middleweight prospect Austin Williams in April 2022. Williams stopped Booker within the opening spherical.
Williams suffered his first loss as a professional in his final battle on June 1, shedding by knockout to Hamsah Sheeraz in a conflict of unbeaten middleweights.
Booker hopes to redeem himself and is keen for a rematch towards Williams down the road. He believes the primary battle towards Williams was not indicative of what sort of fighter he actually is and is assured he can win a rematch towards Williams.
“Everytime ‘Ammo’ fights, I watch,” stated Booker. “I positively need that again as a competitor, not something malicious in direction of him as an individual. Hamzah Sheeraz noticed all the identical issues that another fighter sees about ‘Ammo’: he’s primarily an athlete who can punch. Typically that’s not sufficient, somebody figures out that you just’re a one-trick pony and, if they’ll get previous being damage, you may have an issue.
“I acquired damage in my battle towards (Williams) and I couldn’t get previous that. Sheeraz acquired damage of their battle and he acquired previous it and he figured, ‘Alright, I simply acquired to be careful for his left hand and I’ll have the ability to put on him down,’ as a result of often the blokes who’ve energy don’t have as a lot boxing potential.”
With a large open division at 160 kilos, Booker may turn into a contender, ought to he make an announcement on the expense of Chavez.
Booker hopes to face the higher echelon of the division later this 12 months and into 2025. Having stopped opponents in three of final 5 victories, Booker believes his evolving skill-set will make it troublesome for others within the division to organize for.
“I want to battle (WBA world titleholder) Erislandy Lara, (WBC world titleholder) Carlos Adames, or (unified world titleholder) Janibek Alimkhanuly. Me and Adames can be an action-packed battle, however I do suppose Janibek is the hardest opponent out of them and I’m for combating the perfect. For me, it’s not nearly successful a championship. I truly wish to know if I’m the perfect or how near it I’m and what I must do to be the perfect. I want extra fighters would try this in order that we may get the fights and the alternatives we wish, so there’s no desire on who I’d battle.
“The battle (Saturday) will reply some questions on what I can do with a man I really feel like I’m superior to so far as boxing expertise. I can say all of the issues that I need about him and another fighter, however till I get within the ring with them, see what they’ve and the way I win the battle will inform me what I actually need to learn about them, myself, and what I must work on.
“I’m getting ready for the perfect model of him by placing myself in uncomfortable conditions, going into different individuals’s gyms and attempting to field the perfect guys. Placing all of it on the road, in order that once I cling them up someday, I do know I did all the things I may.”
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He might be reached at [email protected]
Observe @FSalazarBoxing
