"I want to fight this fight, and I told my partners I don't want no tomato can that I will throw a punch and they go down, so they are looking for a good fighter and they have mentioned a couple to me. One is 15-1 and the others they mentioned are 18-3 and 12-1, and after I beat the hell out of them, I want to fight for a regional title. If I don't get the chance to fight for a world title immediately, I will fight anyone; doesn't matter who it is...You can expect a much better, experienced, stronger, faster and expect a really hungry Wizard in there with a lot of magical combinations," stated cruiserweight Francisco Palacios, who talked about his upcoming September 20 return to the ring after nearly a two-year layoff. Check it out!
GP: On September 20th, you will be entering the ring with a two-year inactivity on your shoulders. Was the loss from the fight with Wlodarczyk responsible?
FP: Well, yes, I have been inactive for 2 years the day that I will be back in the ring, but it wont be a factor 'cause I was born for this and its my destiny to be great, so I have no worries about it when I step back in there 'cause I am a veteran of this sport and nothing will stop me this time from becoming the world champ. The Wlodarczyk fight, both of them taught me a lot. Everyone knows I won the first match on April 2nd, 2011, and the second fight was much more closer than the decision they gave me over there in Poland. It could have been a draw, but this is boxing and I have no excuses for any of my fights. But to answer your question, my inactivity did not come from losing to him. It was just that I was in a bad contract with a promoter who did not have any dates for fights, but now I'm doing my own thing. I'm my own boss and I'm gonna make sure I have all the dates I want when I want since now I own my own company. The reason why I opened up this company, WorldWide Elite Entertainment, is to help all the talented fighters that have been through my same struggles in their career.
GP: You began professional boxing at 26, which is considered a little late in boxing. How did you make your way to boxing?
FP: I started when I was turning 27 and it was kinda smooth, and two days before my birthday, in '04, my older brother Zurdo passed away, so it was kinda bumpy, but I made a promise to be a world champ, so I'm a man of my words so I am gonna be crowned champ. But I did 6 fights in '04 and then I had inactivity for 2 years, only 4 fights, and in '07, I had my chance to show the world that I belong in the elite of boxing when I took a fight with former title challenger Louis Azille thanks to O'Neil Bell, who went AWOL, but I was out of the gym for 2 months when they called me for this fight on ESPN. I almost retired to go do MMA, but God blessed me with natural talent and a big heart to take this fight and I won it by TKO in 6 rounds of a scheduled 8-rounder. Then Don King's people called me, I signed, and I went on a KO streak. 7 KO's out of 8 fights, and then the Diablo fight.
GP: So someone else planted the seed of you beginning a career in boxing?
FP: My brother was an amateur champ in Puerto Rico and since I was raised in the projects in Bayamon Virgilio Davila and I always loved to fight, my brother used to make me defend myself with anyone. I was 10 years old fighting my brother's friends in the streets. They where 18 years old, so I grew up a fighter. My favorite fighter of all time was Hector "Macho" Camacho. His speed, boxing IQ, and his flamboyant style, I loved it. So now I am a cruiserweight fighter with a style that is flamboyant, but still, when I want to, I can turn into an aggressive fighter just for the reason that I believe when I'm in there, I'm invincible. Look when I fought Diablo. He was KOing everyone and in the second fight, he became a boxer more than he was the aggressor.
GP: Would you like some tune-up fights or you just want to jump to the elite fighters of your division?
FP: Well, I want to fight this fight, and I told my partners I don't want no tomato can that I will throw a punch and they go down, so they are looking for a good fighter and they have mentioned a couple to me. One is 15-1 and the others they mentioned are 18-3 and 12-1, and after I beat the hell out of them, I want to fight for a regional title. If I don't get the chance to fight for a world title immediately, I will fight anyone; doesn't matter who it is.
GP: What should we expect from Francisco "Wizard" Palacios on September 20th?
FP: You can expect a much better, experienced, stronger, faster and expect a really hungry Wizard in there with a lot of magical combinations.
GP: Thanks for your time, champ!
FP: Thanks brother. I love this sport. I want to do something big for my family and the promise I gave my brother, R.I.P.