Marketing executives and entertainment industry types often refer to a system known as the Q rating in measuring a celebrity's popularity. It is the proverbial "it factor." Such a unit of measure is not confined solely to those in the entertainment field as professional athletes also feel the scrutiny of appealing to the masses in vain attempts to boost their earning potential. Perhaps no other sport is as dependent on such rankings more than boxing. If a fighter cannot move people through the turnstiles, then his or her skills mean nothing to their financial bottom line.
Upon meeting super featherweight Antonio "The Juggernaut" Reyes (2-1, 0 KO), you immediately can tell that the 22 year-old fighter's Q rating is off the charts. From his designer shades and perfectly spiked hair to his customized car that bares his nickname on the trunk and custom vanity license plates, Reyes projects the aura of a superstar despite such a modest professional record. His detractors point to this very fact, questioning how a man who just embarked upon a professional boxing career can carry himself in a manner similar to a fighter who routinely headlines pay-per-views. Reyes is unfazed by such criticism, preferring to view it as the ultimate compliment.
"That is definitely a compliment," Reyes states. "You have to show up like a superstar. You have to have that aura about you. You know that is how you build a fan base. A big part of this business is building a fan base; people who want to see you fight."
Reyes jokingly adds, "Of course I show up at the weigh-in with my shades on and everything. I don't care if it looks like it's going to rain out."
Those who assume that with such flash comes little substance would be dead wrong in that assessment regarding Reyes. In fact, he's one of the most introspective and affable individuals you will ever meet in this sport. The Allen, Texas based fighter also happens to be one of the sport's most dedicated practitioners, a fact made all the more impressive when you find out that, in addition to the demands of boxing, Reyes holds down a full-time job at Loews.
"I get up at 4:30 am and I run for an hour. From there, I head out to work at Loews in Allen. I work there 40 hours a week so I put in a full eight hour day and after that, I go lift weights, do a little sauna and then go swimming on top of that. Then, after swimming, I go home and put in my boxing training. That is Monday thru Saturday. Saturday is usually when we do our sparring. Sunday is the one day I get off."
Such a maddening schedule would wear out even the most focused of athletes, but Reyes relishes such a Spartan lifestyle.
"I never look at it in a bad way. I'm doing what I'm doing because I love it. I love it and enjoy it. It's very tiring, but what it all comes down to is I love the sport."
Reyes' love for the sport goes back to his childhood days in upstate New York when he found that his small stature made him a prime target for bullies.
"Growing up in New York, there were a lot of people who thought because I was small, they could push my buttons or mess with me. I never took anything from anyone so I did get into a few fights and I was always good at it so we figured we would go ahead and make something out of it."
At the age of fifteen, Reyes and his family moved to Texas where the young fighter started to make a name inside amateur boxing circles. Reyes amassed an amateur record of 28-2 with victories in the Golden Gloves tournament and tips to the state finals as well as the Ringside World Tournament.
Throughout it all, the guiding force behind his success has been his father Ruben who continues to train Reyes to this day.
"I have always trained with my dad. He's always been the one to get me where I need to be and I love him. He knows what he is doing and it shows through me."
His father will once again be in his corner on April 3rd when he steps between the ropes to face Rudy Paz (2-7-1, 2 KO) of San Antonio. The four round bout will be a part of the Harrison Boxing Groups third installment of their increasingly popular Texas Slugfest series taking place at the Cowtown Coliseum in Forth Worth.
Due to the difficulty in securing any footage of Paz, Team Reyes has upped their training regime in order to be adequately prepaid for whatever their opponent may bring to the ring. Eight to ten round sparring sessions and running up to 14 miles a day has left Reyes brimming with supreme confidence.
While the knock on Reyes has been his lack of power thus far – zero knockouts on his ledger – his hand speed and tenacity more than make up for it.
"Basically, the way I fight is to completely outwork my opponent. We put in a lot of work just to be able to put in more work than my opponent. If a knockout comes, it comes. If not, we are going to work them over to the point that there is no question to who won."
Fight Information
The Harrison Boxing Group presents Texas Slugfest III live April 3rd at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, TX.
Doors open at 6:30 PM. Tickets are available at the Cowtown Coliseum Box Office (817-625-1025). For more information on the card visit www.texassluffest.com.