'Classy' Cuevas, A Blue Collar Fighter Opens Up
by
Julius Stecker
12/10 - While most people complain that they don’t have any time to do anything after their workday is through,
“Classy” Freddie Cuevas, 24-7, is not one to add to that list. The veteran jr. middleweight always offers in-depth takes on his career, and vast opinions on the fight game. TalkingBoxing.com caught up with Cuevas, as he offered his take on the fight game and so much more.
“I am up everyday at 5AM, then I get ready to go to
work at 7AM, that is where I am until 4PM. Then I
have to endure the horrific Chicago traffic, when I
get through that, I go to the gym. At the gym I work
out for 3 hours. I do sparring, heavy bag, and speed
bag. And after I am done with that, I leave to go
home at 8:30-9 o’clock at night, to get ready for the
next day. That is my schedule from Monday thru
Friday," said Cuevas.
As you can see from Freddie’s grueling workday, he is
not offered the luxury of most highly touted fighters.
What Freddie lacks in financial backing from a major
boxing promotional company, he makes up for with his
determination and grit.
A lot of boxing people would consider, Freddie a fringe contender, but by a closer look at his credentials. He has accomplished a lot for a fighter
in his position. He took Jermain Taylor a full 12-rounds, he went toe to toe with Kingley Ikeke and gave him more then a tough fight. He knocked out, Wilfredo Rivera and he defeated Charles Murray. So by that
closer examination, you find that Freddie is no
pushover.
“If you look at my career, you will see that I am
willing to fight anybody. I went up in weight to fight Kingley Ikeke and Jermain Taylor. And if you look at the Ikeke fight, I was wearing him down in
there before I got that huge cut,” said Cuevas.
Cuevas, who is a natural 154-pound fighter, wants
another chance at a world title and his dream fights
are to fight Felix Trinidad and or Fernando Vargas,
and while those fights may not happen in the near
future, Cuevas is not a guy who will doubt himself.
Cuevas is also very astute boxing guy, being a student of the game with a vast understanding of the sport as a whole. And he offered his take on
some of Chicago’s best young talent.
On young middleweight prospect Miguel Hernandez: “He has a lot of talent most
definitely. He is very raw, but he has a very big
heart and a desire to succeed. He may not have a lot
of height for a 160 pounder, but he makes up for it
with his with his desire. ”
On WBO #2 jr. welterweight David Diaz: “A guy with a lot of heart and desire,
he is a guy who is not one dimensional. He has grown
so much as a fighter, he can do it all he can box, and
he can fight on the inside and tear you up.”
On jr. welterweight prospect Al Gonzales: “Speedy has natural skills, he is a
natural fighter, with very good speed and very good
power. He has excellent height for a Jr.
welterweight, he needs to take advantage of his
natural skills instead of some times going toe to
toe.”
Freddie has been 'Classy' all the way around and is looking to continue his success in the squared circle in 2005.
“Expect the same but better, I have studied
tape of the past two years, and I have been working on
being aggressive, and using my defensive skills.”
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