Talking Boxing with LUPE CONTRERAS
"I really enjoy meeting the boxers and I really enjoy the beauty of the sport"
by Coyote Duran
2/15 - As a boxing writer for an Internet news site, I do my fair share of daydreaming. Mostly, it's me wondering if the big names are reading my stuff. Do fighters ever read my interviews and stories? If so, what do they think of my work?

Well, lately I've noticed that some fighters and managers do visit TalkingBoxing.com and very much enjoy our output and contributions to the fight community. We also strive to build lasting trusting and fair relationships, I think, with the sport we love to serve. With that in mind, I try not to be surprised (though it's difficult to shake my "fanboy enthusiasm") when any particular fighter asks for his soapbox and/or comments on the content of an interview or article.

Whether in praise or constructive criticism, I see it as a compliment and I find it an honor to be read at all.

So imagine my surprise when one night, I received an e-mail from one of my favorite ring announcers on the planet, Lupe Contreras. It seems he enjoyed an article I wrote about my first live fight card experience; a card that he happened to work on as part of a live Telefutura broadcast. [read it here]

I couldn't believe it. Lupe was a big part of my excitement in being there. Don't get me wrong. Contreras stands among many capable and charismatic vocal and visual icons who do a spectacular job stamping a signature of their own on "the art of announcing." But Contreras also stands apart from the herd. Lupe possesses not only the look and the voice but also a smile, confidence, innocence and command over oration and fluency that makes the fight fan, whether Spanish or English-speaking, comfortable with his presence in the ring.

Think what you may about the ring announcer but these men are fans as well. I found out how much of a fan Lupe Contreras is when I spoke with him at length on the day of a weigh-in for a particular Solo Boxeo De Miller card. Lupe shared so many stories but it was well worth all the typing, fight fans. If you're a fan of boxing, this piece might surprise you. Lupe filled me in on what he loves about boxing, his favorite fight and his favorite "Strange but True" story! Funny, easy-going and thoughtful, Lupe Contreras is a lot more normal than you might think.

In fact, after our chat, Lupe asked me to give readers his e-mail address just in case any Contreras fans or fight fans in general would like to drop him a line, rap about the sport or just throw out a quick "hello." (It'll be listed at the tail end of the interview, kids.) Read on and find out why Lupe Contreras is one of my favorite "pugilistic" personalities, Howlers.

RING ANNOUNCER - LUPE CONTRERAS

Coyote Duran: I know you haven’t been doing this that long but you seem like you’re an absolute old pro at it! How did you get into this line of work, Lupe?

Lupe Contreras: Well, actually, it kinda happened by accident. I think as far as most people, aside from Jimmy Lennon, have done so. Originally, I started off as a contestant. They had a search where Univision and Top Rank were looking for someone to replace Danny Valdivia who had been with them for quite sometime.

Coyote Duran: So this was all from a contest?

Lupe Contreras: It was a contest, yeah. It was Univision and Top Rank that got together and they were looking for what they called "La Voz Del Box, The Voice of Boxing" and they were looking for someone who thought they could do the job. Just by pure luck, I ran across the commercial they were airing and I have a background in radio and I've always been a huge boxing fan. So I thought, "Maybe I have what it takes to do it!" so I sent in a CD and an 8" X 10". They called me back within a couple of weeks to say that they liked it and to expect a call back from them. Months went by and I thought, "Oh well. They probably just got a professional to do it." and then out of the blue they called me back and we went on a show called Republica Deportiva which is a TV show that airs Sundays on Univision.

When we went on, they selected 10 guys. They narrowed it down to four and they had internet voting to see who people liked best. The real determining factor, though, was they sent each one of us to a different live show. Although everyone did really well in the studio portion of it, the studio is a controlled atmosphere and you know how boxing is! You get out there and there's probably not a more rowdy and unforgiving crowd than the boxing crowd! So, you know, a lot of the guys who never had experience being in front of a live audience, especially under pressure, with the cameras telling you that you've got 10 seconds to do this. You've got, you know, people yelling this, people yelling that. So I think my radio background gave me some help, in that regard. I had done live radio before. I had done, you know, huge concerts and shows at nightclubs so it was a different crowd, yet very similar in their characteristics.

So that helped me out quite a bit and getting that, I went to work with Top Rank and then Top Rank started using me on some of their other shows, some of their ESPN's and some of their pay-per-views. Boxing is such a small, tight-knit community that if you work well with one company, the other company tends to want to use you as well. I started branching out with other companies like (promoter) Don Chargin, Main Events, then with Oscar (De La Hoya) 's Golden Boy Promotions. It's one of those businesses where I think the easier you make everyone else's job, the more they wanna use you. If you're not problematic, if you're punctual and everything else, I think they tend to want to have you be part of their companies so, luckily, that's what got me to this point.

Coyote Duran: I think as the "barker", much like Buffer and Lennon, you guys seem to be more of an open book in many peoples' eyes. I think many fans would perceive manner to be a very important factor in accepting your work. Fighjters can tend to be secretive while others afford themselves particular attitudes whether being street or trash-talking. Guys like you can't afford to act up in such ways, obviously, when you're standing center ring giving out the particulars. I'm sure being well-adjusted and professional comes into play when encountering the various personalities in this sport. Your contemporaries are Michael Buffer, Jimmy Lennon Jr. and M. Mark Beiro. To me, you fit seamlessly within this hierarchy. Was it strange for you to initially be included in this community and did you ever talk "shop" with any of those guys?

Lupe Contreras: You know what? The only person in that group that I've had the chance to meet has been Michael Buffer. It's one of those things where if they're there, I'm not. You know what I mean?

Coyote Duran: Of course.

Lupe Contreras: I mean, those are the guys I grew up watching. Watching Mark Beiro on the Tuesday Night Fights and Jimmy Lennon on Showtime. In a sense, they make it easier for me. I know what a ring announcer's supposed to sound like and what a ring announcer's supposed to look like. And in the case of Michael Buffer, he's basically the prototype of what everyone would like a ring announcer to be. He has a great voice, a great catch phrase. He looks great on camera. So it's one of those things where you know what to expect. You know, when they (Buffer, Lennon, etc.) came along, it was really kind of an open book. I mean , you had guys like Chuck Hall who, if you watched some of the old ABC fights, you'd see he looked very different than what Michael Buffer looks like. He looked like an almost "grandfatherly"-like figure.

Coyote Duran: Right. He didn't have the angular, model-like appearance.

Lupe Contreras: Right! Right! Yeah, you know, he kinda changed it for everyone. Then you've got Jimmy who even though he's got a very different style, it's still very authoritative. His voice is still very different from Michael Buffer's. It's still iconic. And then you have Mark Beiro who has an even more casual approach to his announcing. The fact that they came before you almost makes it a lot easier in the sense that you know what people expect. So even now, I'm still in awe of those guys because they do the huge fights. And then you grow up watching these guys on TV, it's very humbling for people to say that you're included in the same group. Obviously those guys have been doing this for decades and I've been doing it for a little over four and a half years. I think I have a long way to go before I can be included in that group, you know?

Coyote Duran: It's been in that short of time, huh?

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, it's something that just kinda snowballed. I think the major advantage that I've had and what's helped me distinguish myself is the fact that I'm bilingual. As we all know, without the Spanish-speaking audience, boxing doesn't exist.

Coyote Duran: I agree.

Lupe Contreras: You know, it's driven by the Latino fighter. They consistently draw in the biggest crowds. They have the largest pay-per-view audience. So I think that's what helped me out quite a bit in the sense, especially with our Telefutura and Univision shows. Even though we have a, I guess, a smaller audience in the sense that we're not in every market, the numbers we draw have been very comparable to a lot of the major networks like ESPN and HBO.

Coyote Duran: Well, I noticed from the Chicago Telefutura show I attended in January, how enthralling the crowd was that surrounded me. It was incredible. The Latino community lifts the sport so much more than many Americans here in the States do since all other sports are just so much more popular than boxing. I'm very thankful for that. I think in many ways, it's true. Without the Latino fans, it's very possible that this sport could have even less of the cult following it has today. It's lost so much mainstream appeal over the years, it bums me out.

Lupe Contreras: I think the reason that is (Boxing's popularity with Mexican fans) is that it's such a part of the country, you know? Being a boxer, in a sense, is a highly respected profession in the Latin community. It's one of those things where also the audience and the community backs their fighter, as you saw, when you mention a particular region in Mexico where a fighter comes from, the people just go wild. It doesn't matter who you are or what your record is. You're a guy from my part of the country. A guy from where I grew up. They feel compelled to applaud you and they feel compelled to be part of the people who are backing you inside the ring.

Coyote Duran: Yeah, it's amazing. The support is really magnificent. Lupe, You’ve been in the ring hundreds of time so I can definitely understand this if you don’t remember but what was your first gig as an announcer?

Lupe Contreras: I used to mess around in the gym back in my hometown and a friend of mine who was promoting a small show knew I had a radio background and he had, basically, a real barebones operation. So he had asked me if I was willing to do the ring announcing. I was like, yeah! I've always wanted to try something like that. So I did do two shows like that for him and then the third show was the show I actually did for Top Rank. It was kinda like going from the wading pool to the ocean as far as promoters and companies were concerned. I've been very fortunate in the sense that I didn't have to go through the local promoters. I didn't have to work.....in a sense, I've paid my dues but I sort of haven't, you know? In my eyes. It really gave me an opportunity to get into the big leagues, so to speak, right away.

Coyote Duran: Right place at the right time, huh?

Lupe Contreras: Yeah! A lot of that has been it! That's really the way this part of boxing works. I'm sure that there are a lot of other guys who know boxing who could probably do what I do. It's just a question that they weren't in the right place and they weren't at the right time. Maybe all of those things didn't fall into place that would allow them to be in the place where I am. That's kind of the way it's gone about.

Coyote Duran: In referring to the likes of Michael Buffer, most ring announcers are associated with a catch phrase of some sort, you being no exception. We all know which one is yours! Do you think it’s necessary to be remembered by or does just having a distinctive voice help these days?

Lupe Contreras: I think it is almost necessary. You know, what I've noticed is that everytime I'm on television, they show my name but no one remembers that. What they remember is the "Quien es mas macho?" phrase. Even I'll go into a place and they'll start saying "Let's Get Ready To Rumble!"™. They'll say that to me so I can imagine how much Michael Buffer hears it! I think in a sense, you sort of do need it. But I think what really distinguishes you from the competition is doing a good job. When you present the fighters, you have to put in a little drama. You're trying to motivate the crowd as well. What I've been told by a lot of fighters is that you (as an announcer) motivate them as well. If you say their names in a dramatic fashion, if you get the crowd behind them, and the way that you announce their record or how many knockouts or where they're from, they seem to get excited and it gets them motivated. I think it plays a big role now when you're trying to distinguish yourself, you sort of need it. Like I said for some people it works and for some people, it just doesn't.

Coyote Duran: Now did you have to think for a while for your catch phrase or did it just come to you?

Lupe Contreras: I had been thinking about it for a while when we we flew through that show in Miami. They said "Come up with something similar to 'Let's Get Ready To Rumble!'™ but give it a Latin flair, you know? I thought of numerous things and offhand, I really can't think of any, but on the plane there, it just kinda came to mind. At first I was kinda embarrassed by it and I was like "That seems awfully silly." What if I say it and people take it the wrong way or they just think it's a ridiculous saying? But I said "What the heck? What could possibly happen?" So I went with it and, slowly but surely, people started picking up on it. Sometimes, it doesn't translate to some of the English audience but like I said, it certainly has hit with the Spanish audience which was really what we were targeting.

Coyote Duran: It was good that you took the risk.

Lupe Contreras: Yeah! I guess everything pays off. If you risk it, there's certain rewards to be had.

Coyote Duran: Lupe, I was terribly delighted when I got your e-mail and you said you enjoyed my article about the Telefutura show in Chicago. Do you stay on top of boxing news with the Internet, if you have the time?

"first thing I do when I get back home is I get on the 'net"

Lupe Contreras: Yeah! Honestly, with the Internet, sometimes I know where I'm gonna be because of the Internet before the promoters even get in contact with me. I mean, the first thing I do when I get back home is I get on the 'net and see what's happened since I've been gone. So, it's a daily ritual for me, to be honest with you. It really helps you to know what's going on out there 'cause obviously there're a lot of shows that happened in Europe or happened in Asia that we don't get to see. Then there are a lot of fighters like Jose Navarro who goes and fights in Japan or (WBC Super Bantamweight titleholder) Oscar Larios goes to Japan as well and we don't get those feeds. You figure out what's happening. You get to hear about certain fighters that perhaps haven't gotten television exposure quite yet but you know that they're coming up. I mean, it's like everything else. If you're a fruit salesman, you keep up with what's going on in the orchards out in Florida. If you're a boxing person, you try to figure out what's going on in the gyms around the country and around the world.

Coyote Duran: That's something that the magazines definitely lack, of course. The Ring and its sister magazines are great and do fantastic pieces on boxing but it's more really........

Lupe Contreras: Pretty much too late!

Coyote Duran: Yeah, exactly! You can't rely on magazines for up-to-the-minute news. There're actually great for the tighter interest pieces on one particular fighter at a time, a feud, a potential fight or a weight class, etc.

Lupe Contreras: I think the Internet guys do a great job. In the sense that they cover it. They go out there and a lot of these guys are doing it simply for the love of the sport. I love it when a guy does a great job and writes an article that's got journalistic integrity. I do have some issues with some Internet guys who use it to their benefit as opposed to for the love of the sport or promoting the sport.

Coyote Duran: You and me both, partner. I don't think I need to mention any names.

Lupe Contreras: That's the only time I take issue with it but those times are few and far between.

Coyote Duran: Who would you say are your favorite fighters, past and present?

Lupe Contreras: You know what? I put 'em into two categories. I put them into "fighters I just simply enjoy watching" and then I have fighters who I just think are truly gifted and truly talented. Not to say that the ones who I enjoy watching aren't talented, but I just love to watch them in the ring. You know, you've got guys like Ricardo Mayorga who I think is great for the sport. He has a very brash attitude. Who else is out there? Guys like Erik Morales and people like that who only seem to give you a very dramatic fight regardless of who they're fighting. There's always excitement and you're always on the edge of your seat because you never know what's gonna happen. You never know when that fight's gonna end or how the tables are gonna turn. And then you have great guys like Oscar (De La Hoya). You know, Felix Trinidad, (WBA/IBF Featherweight titlist) Juan Manuel Marquez. You know, just guys that....you just look at them and just enjoy the beauty of their boxing ability and what they can actually do in the ring and they actually have very exciting qualities. I mean, they're not brawlers and they're not guys who, how would you say? Bring that little spark like a Mayorga might to a fight. But they still have those qualities that you enjoy watching.

Coyote Duran: They really bring the color and the artform to the forefront.

Lupe Contreras: Yeah! And a lot of times, frankly, the sports needs that. It needs that in order to be promoted and for people to pick up on it. Not to say that you want it to be turned into a spectacle.

Coyote Duran: Sure!

Lupe Contreras: But you need that little extra spark sometimes to draw the attention. Why not?

Coyote Duran: I think, sometimes, there's a fine, fine line between "schlock", and negativity. I think charisma goes a long way in fueling the sport. Even if only a little positive attention is gained from it as a result, it's good attention. As a fan, was there a period of time where you had to try your best to not be starstruck when meeting fighters on the job or were you always this cool and professional?

Lupe Contreras: You know what? I think I was watching a football broadcast once and one guy scored a touchdown and he just went absolutely nuts. He did the whole dance and really made a spectacle out of it. I think I heard the announcer say, "Even if you haven't, at least pretend like you've been there before." I've had conversations with people that I never imagined I would be in the same room, much less speaking one-on-one with them and enjoying what's going on. There was a moment that comes to mind where I was at the Olympic Auditorium and there used to be a segment on Sesame Street which was like "Which one of these is not like the other?"

Coyote Duran: Oh, yeah! Sure! (Of course I remember!......I still watch it. Guy Smiley rules!)

Lupe Contreras: Well, I'm standing in the ring and it's myself, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. You know and I just felt so unworthy to be in the ring because all these guys are great champions, they're great fighters. They've done so much for the sport. And then here's a guy who came out of a contest in the ring with these guys. So that kinda stands out! And, yeah, there's a lot of guys who you pictured them when you were home watching TV and, only in boxing, a few years down the road you're in there with them announcing them. There's been quite a few moments like that.

Coyote Duran: I feel the same way doing this job, man.

Lupe Contreras: I call 'em "Forrest Gump moments." Somehow, you're the one person that doesn't fit in that whole scenario that's going on, you know? You almost feel like you've been superimposed into that particular film or that particular footage.

Coyote Duran: Many of us view you as the “Voice of Spanish Boxing broadcasting.” You do a helluva job for non-speaking fans who love the Spanish language boxing broadcasts as well. With these factors in mind, Lupe, do you consider your ethnicity a very important factor in your job or do you feel that it gives you a leg up on the competition with your contemporaries?

Lupe Contreras: Well, I think of it most of all as a big advantage. It gives me the opportunity to speak one-on-one with some of the fighters that, perhaps, have that language barrier with some of the other people that are there. Culturally, we have a lot of things in common. I have come into certain situations where I think people see me just as "The Latin Ring Announcer" and if it's not a Spanish broadcast, they feel, perhaps, that I wouldn't be appropriate for it. I speak English pretty well, too!

Coyote Duran: Without question! I think that's something that the English speaking-only crowd really loves. I certainly would abhor the thought of anyone typecasting you or anyone else that does this job but I think you're more appreciated because of your bilinguality.

Lupe Contreras: Well, I'm very proud of the fact that that they (fans) would say that I'm the "Voice of Spanish Boxing" which I love! But you'd hate to limit yourself to that. In the end, I definitely look at it as a huge advantage.

Coyote Duran: Do ring announcers have their own fan base and do you now have your share of “Lupe Groupies”?

Lupe Contreras: You know what? People always ask me that. People always assume that you're dating the ring card girls. (Both laughs) What's funny, though, is I tell people is I do have a, and I think a lot of people in the sports world'll tell you this, you do have groupies. But they're all male. All they wanna do is talk boxing with you and it's one of those things where there's noooooo....how would you say? There's really no.....I mean you get to meet a lot of great people and you get to have a lot of great conversations but when you think of groupies, it's totally different than what you'd think if you were a rock star. Except for Oscar (De la Hoya)! Oscar's gonna get that type of following! But like I tell people, the only people who know or care who you are are Mexican males between the ages of 18 and 35. It's our demographic, you know? There's really no "groupie benefit", as far as I'm concerned.

Coyote Duran: That's all good, I guess, because as the hardcore fan I am, it's tough for me to find anyone, outside of the Internet, to talk boxing with regularly.

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, it's real nice. There are very few people who don't actually know what's going on. You can weed those people out very quickly. They'll come up with something like "What do you think if Mike Tyson fought Oscar De La Hoya?" That would never happen!

Coyote Duran: (Laughs) And half of those people think he still holds some sort of a belt!

Lupe Contreras: Yeah! Stuff like that! It's pretty quick. You can really weed out people who actually know boxing from people who have no idea what they're talking about.

Coyote Duran: What are your likes and dislikes, if you have any, about this line of work?

"my main dislike is that people are still very skeptical about the sport of boxing"

Lupe Contreras: I think my main dislike is that people are still very skeptical about the sport of boxing. I think there's still a lot of people out there who still think that there's these backroom deals where someone says, "You're going down in the fourth round." and that's how it's gonna happen and they think there's all these corrupt people in the sport. Obviously, that legend and stigma exist for a reason. But at the same time, I've always told people that I've never seen anything like that happen. It's probably one of the more honest and purest sports in the sense that you have two guys in there who aren't getting help from a secondary. They're not getting help from their catchers. they're not getting any help from the point guard. It's just you and him. You see it so often. There're sports where something goes wrong and everybody wants to fight! Well, this sport gets rid of all of that! They say if you wanna fight, let's fight! That's what it's about. So that stigma that boxing has bothers me, in a sense.

What I really enjoy about it? I really enjoy meeting the people. I love meeting the audience we have. They're very humble, very honest people. A lot of the trips we have are very quick trips, you know. We get there the day of the show and we're out of there early the next morning. So many people invite you, too, whether they have a restaurant or invite you to their homes. They bring you little gifts and things of that nature. You feel humble, in a sense, because you're like, "Why are you making such a big deal out of us?" We should be thanking you (The fans). You're the guys that keep this show going. You're the guys that allow us to make money off standing in the ring in a tuxedo and talking into a microphone. So I enjoy meeting the people. The travel's nice but at the same time, it can be a bit hectic.

Coyote Duran: I'm sure.

"I really enjoy the beauty of the sport"

Lupe Contreras: I really enjoy meeting the boxers and I really enjoy the beauty of the sport and just the genuine love and affection that the audience shows for you.

Coyote Duran: What’s your most noteworthy positive experience so far working in this sport and do you have any “Strange but True” stories you can share?

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, the "Strange but True" comes pretty easily! We had a fight in Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico, the crowd is really passionate. They're really into the sport! The country that loves boxing more than Mexico is probably Puerto Rico. The fighters were just going at it in the ring and one guy got knocked down. As soon as he got knocked down, I got up to go into the ring and apparently one of the fans of the guy that did the "knocking down" stood up at the same time I stood up. And he stood up because he was happy that his fighter was winning. I stood up because it's time for me to get into the ring. Well, you know, there was no security around whatsoever. He apparently thought I was rejoicing at the fact that his fighter had won and of course, as a ring announcer, you're trying to be as neutral as possible! (Coyote laughs) So he jumps up and he hugs me! (Coyote laughing hysterically) And not only does he hug me but he......the best thing I can compare it to is....have you ever seen those old Tarzan movies when Tarzan is carrying Cheetah?

Coyote Duran: Yeah!

Lupe Contreras: Well, he's not only got you by the neck, but he's got his legs wrapped around you as well? So this guy is doing that to me. He's completely intoxicated and I'm telling him, "Let me go! Let me go! I need to go into the ring!" He wouldn't listen! He just kept cheering and kinda jumping up and down at the same time he was grabbing me. I was forced to push him off me so I pushed him off me and he fell to the ground and I started proceeding to the ring! And as I'm getting into the ring, I can see him behind me. The only thing I could think of was this guy's upset 'cause I pushed him and he's coming into the ring. I'm looking around and there's no one who seems to be trying to keep him from coming into the ring. So he slips underneath the bottom rope and the one thing I can think of is that I'm gonna be waiting for my cue and this guy's gonna slap me in the back of the head or whatever it might be! So I just kinda hold him there as he's coming to the ring and I put my knee on the back of his neck to keep him from moving and the guy's not fighting me! He's just sitting there waiting for me, I guess at my convenience, to get my knee of the back of his head! And he's just there!

I can see our play-by-play guy, Bernardo Osuna. He's getting ready to come out of the commercial and talk about what's going on and he notices that I'm not at my position. And he looks over at me and he sees that I'm kneeling on top of some guy's head! He asks me, "What the hell are you doing?!", kinda mouthing it to me. I then realized that this looks kind of odd that we're about to go live on air and there's the ring announcer sitting on top of a fan. I figured maybe this guy's harmless so I go to my position because, you know, it's live TV. We've gotta do what we've gotta do. And the guy just gets up and he starts celebrating inside the ring. He meant no harm, whatsoever, but it was still one of the more unusual situations where you.....you rarely expect a human being to cling on to you that way and not let you go and be so excited that they get that carried away.

There's been moments like that and there's been moments when people have been really brutally honest on how they expected you to look different in person than you really look. They make comment like ,"I thought you were taller.", "I thought you were younger.", "I thought you were this or you were that." So just little awkward things like that.

Coyote Duran: What would you say was the greatest fight you’ve ever had the pleasure of being in attendance for as far as work?

Lupe Contreras: As far as magnitude or actual boxing action?

Coyote Duran: I'll take both!

Lupe Contreras: There was a fight in Las Vegas between (Roberto) "Mako" Leyva and a little Colombian. His name escapes me at the moment. But it was for the IBF Strawweight (105 pound) title.

Coyote Duran: Miguel Barrera, perhaps?

Lupe Contreras: There you go!

Coyote Duran: Dude, those were some wars!

Lupe Contreras: Oh, yeah! This is how tough these guys are: They were barely over 110 pounds (by fight time), both of them. Barrera accidentally headbutted Leyva and knocked one of his teeth out! It wasn't one of his incisors. He knocked out one of his molars! So you can imagine how hard that headbutt must've been! But there were 12 vicious rounds where they just went at it! These guys were strawweights so there wasn't much media there and there wasn't much coverage. I think it was actually the same weekend that De La Hoya and (Yory Boy) Campas fought. (Coyote's Note: De La Hoya-Campas took place May 3, 2003. The Leyva-Barrera fights in Vegas took place on August 9, 2002 and March 22, 2003. I got your back, Lupe!) These guys fought the "Fight of the Year" in Vegas, as far as I was concerned. Maybe not the most notable fight but definitely one of the more action-packed and just thrilling fights that I've been a part of. To see two men that small with, you know, hearts the size of giants just go at it for 12 rounds; it just makes you admire those guys for their dedication and their courage and everything that they do.

Coyote Duran: Only in boxing, huh?

"When you do the shows in Vegas, there's just something about them that just feels like being in the big leagues"

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, only in boxing! As far as magnitude, probably the second HBO (broadcast) that I did, Wladimir Klitschko was defending his (WBO) title against Jameel McCline. There was the rematch of (Current The Ring World/WBC Lightweight Champion) Jose Luis Castillo and Floyd Mayweather on the undercard. So that was probably, magnitude-wise, the biggest show that I've been a part of. When you do the shows in Vegas, there's just something about them that just feels like being in the big leagues, you know? It really seems to...how would you say?....it seems to put that stamp on you like, maybe I am a professional. Maybe I'm not just some guy who got lucky, you know?

Coyote Duran: That's the defining moment, huh?

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, definitely! You look around and you're in the Mandalay Bay and you got two guys that are giants in front of you and it's just amazing. I knew it was a big fight when I looked over my shoulder and (Rapper/actor) Ja Rule was standing in Mayweather's corner. It's like, OK, I guess if the celebrities are out, that's gotta let you know that it's a big Vegas fight.

Coyote Duran: You’re a photogenic cat with a great voice. You're polite and distinguished, Lupe. Have you ever received offers for other visual media related work like acting or print work?

Lupe Contreras: I do some voiceover work and I've done a few commercials here and there. But.....no, not really. It's nice that someone like you would make that comment but there haven't been too many of them. There's been a few discussions here and there but for some reason, they always seem to fall through. It's really one of those jobs where there's a lot of ways you can branch off. Certainly, one of my goals is to try and explore more of that.

Coyote Duran: Do you think we'll ever see you calling the fights from ringside?

Lupe Contreras: You know what? I think it's a very different line of work. I think you have to have a lot more credentials to be on that side of the broadcast.

Coyote Duran: Hey, I'd like to see it.

Lupe Contreras: Certainly, as an everyman, I think you can have somebody like myself do that, but when you have guys like (HBO commentator Jim) Lampley and (HBO ringside analyst) Larry Merchant and all those other guys that have such extensive journalistic backgrounds. Certainly, I could never compare to that. Of course, you also have guys that have been in the ring. They're world champions that kinda meet those credentials as well. I think, as far as boxing is concerned, I probably have found my niche and should probably try to exploit that possibility as much as possible. Although I would love to do it, I think it might be something that's not necessarily out of reach, but out of question.

Coyote Duran: In your own words, could you tell us who Lupe Contreras is? What do you like to do in your down time? Hobbies, relationships or the like, if that’s not too personal?

Lupe Contreras: No, not at all! I'm a very easy-going person. I'll talk to the wall if I can. I may not be the person to start the conversation but I'll certainly continue it. I'm very easy-going. I don't wanna say boring but I can be a bit......in boxing, there certainly have been some legendary partiers in the sport. I definitely pale in comparison to even the mildest one of those guys! I'm very calm. If I have a hobby, I'm lucky of the fact that my job is my hobby. If I'm not at the fight, I'm watching the fight. If I'm not, then I'm goofin' around in the gym or I've got my bag up in the garage. I feel very fortunate in that sense that I get paid to do what I love to watch and what I would do for free, you know? As far as my personal life, I'm a single guy. I'm the last one in my family. Everyone else is married. I don't even have a dog waiting for me at home.

Coyote Duran: Bummer.

Lupe Contreras: I'm pretty much "What you see is what you get." A lot of people think that when they see you on camera, they think you're very serious and that you don't like to joke around. In the ring, you've got two guys about to go to war and, definitely, you have to sort of pay homage to that in a way by taking it very seriously as well. But, what you see is what you get with me! I'll talk to anyone. I'll say "hello" to anyone. Like I said, I'm just your typical boxing fan who's had the opportunity to get into the professional aspect of it.

Coyote Duran: My message board friend, Joe Jabber, says you look a lot like his uncle Chuy and wants to know exactly where you hail from. I think he’s a little spooked.

Lupe Contreras: (Laughs) Actually, I was born on a border town in Mexico called Reynosa. It's right across from McAllen, like in between (Texas towns) McAllen and Brownsville. Right on the tip of Texas.

Coyote Duran: Oh, deep in the "valley".

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, but on the opposite side of the border. I was there 'til the age of five and I grew up in Houston, Texas and Houston is where I live.

Coyote Duran: There are so many Durans in Houston and I think they've all been to the Whattaburger!

Lupe Contreras: Yeah, perhaps! (Laughs)

Coyote Duran: Got any predictions on any upcoming fights in 2005?

Lupe Contreras: Not necessarily predictions. I think the one that intrigues me the most right now is definitely the (Erik) Morales/(The Ring World Featherweight Champion) Manny Pacquiao fight.

Coyote Duran: Oh, man! You said it.

Lupe Contreras: I think you have to give Morales credit to come back from a defeat from such a formidable foe. I think it has the potential to be one of these fights that people will be talking about for years. I just think it's one of those "pick-em" fights. Both guys have qualities and both guys have come off fights where you can (gauge from their previous fights and) say "This is probably gonna happen." Both guys have such tremendous hearts that you can't count either one of them out. Certainly, if there's a fight that intrigues me, it's that one.

Coyote Duran: My pick? Morales. I don't think he's gonna take any B.S. from Pacquiao.

Lupe Contreras: I think it's a fight that really revives Morales' career and has ther potential to do for him what Naseem Hamed's fight did for Barrera. I think it's also a fight where if it doesn't go in his favor,....I don't think it ends his career but I think it really definitely puts him in an undesirable position.

Coyote Duran: Well, I absolutely wanna say that this has been a most enjoyable discussion, Lupe, and that it's been a privilege to talk to you. I thank you very much for this interview and all that you've shared with our readers.

Lupe Contreras: I thank you very much for the opportunity! Like I said, I really enjoy what you (Internet) guys do and I love the fact that it's, for the most part, for the pure love of the sport that pushes you to do this and without guys like you and other guys that have their Internet sites, certainly the sport would receive less attention and perhaps, it wouldn't have that grass-roots following we have in places like Chicago, which always backs us. We wouldn't know what's happening in these remote gyms, whether it be in Oxnard (California) or whether it be in Corpus Christi, Texas. I think it really helps the sport and it does a lot for it. And I thank you guys.

Coyote Duran: You're welcome. And we thank you.

Talking Boxing would love to thank the very gracious and accomodating Lupe Contreras for giving us the chance to see the sport through the eyes of the ring announcer. May he experience many more years in this great sport and many more opportunities to make great memories.

Coyote Duran can be reached at coyoteduran@talkingboxing.com and Lupe Contreras can be reached at mail@lavozdelbox.com

"Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" is ™ Michael Buffer/Buffer Partnership 2005

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