"When I started working with Frank, it was not even a year ago. I told him to be patient and that the time would come where he would get opportunities like these. It's really special when a guy like Frank gets to positions like this because nothing has been handed to him. You see so many guys getting spoiled and put in positions that maybe they haven't earned, but Frank has definitely earned this shot. I truly believe after the 17th, there are going to be a lot of new Frank Galarza fans all over the country," stated Frank Galarza's manager, A.J. Galante, who talked about their upcoming fight against Josh Thompson this Friday on ShoBow: The New Generation. Check it out!
PC: How is it going my man?
AG: Everything is going good; very busy and looking forward to Frank Galarza's fight live on ShoBox on January 17th. Very exciting way to open 2014 and I know this will be a huge year for Frank.
PC: You have been telling me for quite some time now that you feel your fighter, Frank Galarza, could be a star in boxing. What is it about Frank that makes you so confident in him?
AG: You hear in baseball all the time, especially with prospects, about guys being a 'Five Tool' player. When I analyze boxers, I kind of have my own 'Five Tool' formula, which is having a good balance of both offensive and defensive skills, a personality that is relatable and likeable and that gives you the ability to sell tickets, a fan-friendly/TV-friendly style, the true willingness to fight the best opponents available, and the fifth tool is being a workaholic and the desire to be better each and every day. If you go by my system, Frank has every one of those tools. He's coming up the hard, old-fashioned way and I believe it will pay dividends for him with time. We have built a tremendous team around him, with veteran trainers Nirmal Lorick and Willie Vargas as well as big time up-and-coming strength and conditioning coach Cheyne Zeller. His promoters from day 1 have been New Legend Boxing, Old World Boxing, and WON promotions, who've always been good to him. All things considered, in and out the ring, Frank is in a great situation.
PC: He will be making his television debut on January 17th. How does it feel to get him national exposure on Showtime?
AG: It's a great feeling. When I started working with Frank, it was not even a year ago. I told him to be patient and that the time would come where he would get opportunities like these. It's really special when a guy like Frank gets to positions like this because nothing has been handed to him. You see so many guys getting spoiled and put in positions that maybe they haven't earned, but Frank has definitely earned this shot. I truly believe after the 17th, there are going to be a lot of new Frank Galarza fans all over the country.
PC: You don't believe in soft touches and Frank's opponent, John Thompson, certainly isn't that, sitting at 14-0. Have you been able to see any footage of Thompson, and if so, what do you think of him as a fighter?
AG: We have a lot of footage of him, especially his most recent matches. What stands out obviously is he has a height advantage. He has a great reach and an above average jab. His jab is really the punch in his arsenal that stood out to me, personally. He's done a great job in keeping guys at bay with that jab, and a lot of guys haven't been able to get inside on him. He's undefeated and his resume is pretty good, no real soft touches for him either, so he's been tested. Obviously he's young, undefeated, and looking to take that next step, so we expect a very hungry John Thompson. I don't think he wants any part of brawling with Frank, that's for sure. I know our trainers have watched the footage and have come up with a great game plan, and I believe Frank will execute it. Frank's no stranger to this style. He fought Alantez Fox, who was 6'5", to a draw, so Thompson having any sort of height advantage doesn't concern us at all. But he does possess a lot of boxing skills; he seems to have a high boxing IQ. From the footage we have, I haven't seen him in very many 'fights'. He's a boxer first and foremost, so we'll see how he reacts to a true fighter in Frank.
PC: How is Frank handling the pressure of being televised for the first time, or can you not even tell the difference from this fight and his others?
AG: I don't see a difference in his demeanor. He's all business and he is ready. This is Frank's time. He's been waiting a long time to be able to showcase himself on TV, and he knows how important, how high the stakes are with this match. But at the end of the day, every match, the stakes are high. Frank is very even keeled, he keeps his feet on the ground, and a few cameras at ringside isn't going to affect him in my opinion. I think, if anything, it will bring the best out of him. One of the things I thought about him when I first signed him was I believed, getting to know him and his personality, that when the time came and he got on TV or was in some high profile matches, that he had the mettle to not let it get in his head or let distractions or pressure get to him. Our whole team has all the confidence in the world in him.
PC: In a perfect world, what are you looking for from Frank on the 17th? What would you like him to showcase?
AG: As Al Davis said, "Just win, baby!" Winning is everything, and it's what I expect. That being said, I just want to see Frank be Frank. Be the fighter that I know he is, and if he does that, listen to his corner. Not only will we win, but we will win spectacularly and the fans will want to see him again. He has that type of style that fans love. He's a natural brawler, but his last few matches, he's made some improvements to his overall boxing repertoire, so he can make it any type of fight he wants. His last match in September, his performance was so fluid, his defense was great, and most importantly to me, he was patient. Stamina is the key for this fight in my opinion. I believe Thompson will run around a little. But that's ok because Frank can go 20 rounds if he had to, so 8 is nothing to him. I believe the longer the fight goes, the more of an advantage it is for us. Frank gets stronger as the fight goes on and from what I watched in some of John Thompson's fights, he seems to fade, but we'll know next week. We definitely are coming into this match as the underdog, which is nothing new, so I believe we have to make sure we don't leave any hesitation in the judges' minds as well.
PC: I know you guys are taking it one fight at a time, but if all goes well, where would you like a win over Thompson to catapult Frank?
AG: Well, you're right, we take it one match at a time. That being said, all I know is that I believe a win, especially on TV, will bring us bigger opportunities. I think 2014 is the year people will know what New York City's already learned, that Frank Galarza is for real. You already know, Percy, my managerial strategy and philosophy. I like to keep my guys busy and against tough opponents. I'd love 5 matches this year, on or off TV, but obviously we'll take it one day at a time. And I don't know if it's been announced, but this match will be for Thompson's WBC Latino title he won a few fights ago. So a win will potentially give Frank a world ranking, which puts us ahead of schedule for even what I anticipated. But do expect us to call guys out this year. We kind of bit our tongue in 2013, but we're not going to be afraid of calling guys out, and we've together spoken on a few guys we'd love to face this year.
PC: As always, I appreciate your time. I wish you guys the best of luck and we will talk soon. Is there anything else you want to add?
AG: Thank you. No, just thank you always to FightHype.com and yourself for all the support. I believe the fans will be in for a great show January 17. The card is stacked from top to bottom with great prospects. I think every one of them is undefeated. Follow me on twitter @eliteboxing_ajg and Frank Galarza @Notorious_FG for up to date news and more.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]