It's terrible to see that in this day and
age a gifted fighter with ten years
experience, who has captured two world
titles remains relatively unknown to the
boxing public. I am referring to Celestino
"Pelenchin" Caballero, a tall, lanky super
bantamweight who measures 5'11" and who
comes to us from Panama City, Panama.
I consider Caballero the Paul Williams of
the lower weight classes not only because
of the similarity in height but also
because like Williams, Caballero is being
avoided like the plague.
Celestino Caballero is
definitely a force to be reckoned with.
After capturing the WBA world title by
knocking out Somsak Sithchatchawal in three
rounds, he went on to capture another title
by blowing out the previously undefeated
IBF world champion Steve Molitor in his
hometown of Ontario, Canada. Since then
he's had eight successful title defenses
while chasing former WBO super bantamweight
champion Juan Manuel Lopez hoping to unify
the world titles. Caballero even went as
far as posting two videos on youtube trying
to lure Lopez into making the fight happen.
Instead, JuanMa decided to move up to the
featherweight division capturing the WBO
featherweight title by defeating Steven
Luevano January 23rd. Since then Caballero
has been working with renown boxing trainer
Jeff Mayweather.
Recently Caballero dropped by Braggingrightscorner
to talk about his work with trainer Jeff
Mayweather, his promoter Warriors Boxing
and Juan Manuel Lopez.
BRC: Thanks for meeting with us Celestino,
we know your schedule is hectic and we
appreciate the time. Can you tell us how
you ended up working with Jeff Mayweather?
CC:
Two
years ago Oscar de la Hoya paid Floyd
Mayweather Sr. not to train other fighters,
to work only with him. Meanwhile, we had
already contacted Floyd Sr. about a year
and a half prior. After my fight in Texas
against Jorge Lacierva, Floyd Sr. said he
would like an opportunity to work with me.
He saw a lot of potential in me.
Unfortunately he became ill, and so we went
with Jeff Mayweather because we knew that
they came from the same school of thought.
BRC: When I last spoke to you, you told me
that your cousin, junior welterweight
contender Miguel Callist was responsible
for uniting you with Jeff...
CC:
Well,
Miguel had heard my conversation with Floyd
Sr. in Texas. My cousin has traveled a lot
and knows the boxing world very well. He
told me that training with Jeff would be
the same because he would teach me the same
things that Floyd Sr. would have taught me
had he been able to.
BRC: How is your work with Jeff Mayweather
coming along?
CC:
Excellent. I practically don't want to
leave Las Vegas. The day you see me in
the ring again... if you thought
Pelenchin was dangerous before, , you are
going to see an even more dangerous
Pelenchin Caballero.
BRC: Can you tell me some of the things
you have learned with Jeff Mayweather
that are different from what you had
learned before?
CC:
My
punches are more precise. The way I train
is different from the way I trained back
in my country. I feel real good with some
of the things Jeff has been teaching me.
I am learning fast and I am planning to
put it all together in my next fight.
BRC: I read that you lost the IBF belt
due to the fact that your promoter -as
well the promoter of your assigned
opponent- failed to bid in two separate
occasions. What are your thoughts about
what happened?
CC:
My promoter, Warriors Boxing, wants to
make money off their fighters without
investing any money. There were two purse
bids and they didn't participate in
either one. In other words, they didn't
care if Pelenchin lost the IBF title
belt. They probably had other interests.
There are other fighters who might fight
for the title, like Steve Molitor.
Molitor has been next in line to fight
for the title but never asked for a
rematch with me. Now there are some
benefits to certain people from Warriors,
the people who are supposed to work for
me.
BRC: There are eight months until your
contract with Warriors expires. What are
you planning to do until then?
CC:
Until then I am going to keep working.
The best way to be prepared is to keep
working. I will probably stay here until
my contract expires. I know I have a lot
of potential. I am a person who is
dedicated to the sport. I will be
champion at 126lbs. I am sure of that.
BRC: I know you were present for the
Juanma Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa
doubleheader at New York City's Madison
Square Garden. I had asked Bob Arum, Top
Rank's main man, during an interview
after the Lopez fight if they were
considering working with you and he said
yes. Has he contacted you at all?
CC:
No,
not at all. Patience is my virtue.
BRC: Are you tired of chasing Juan Manuel
Lopez for a future match-up?
CC:
Well, what I don't understand is that he
says he wants to fight but he never says
he is ready. He is not thinking of me. He
is thinking of other fights but he still
doesn't want to fight Pelenchin. To me,
JuanMa is scared. I have to come to the
conclusion that he is a coward. A lot of
time has passed. He's had other fights
since then; he moved up in weight to face
one of the softest champions in that
weight class. Like I said in a previous
interview, stop lying to to the Puerto
Rican public. JuanMa Lopez can never
stand next to Tito Trinidad or Miguel
Cotto, two Puerto Rican boxers who would
face anybody.
Lopez cannot compare himself to any
Puerto Rican champion. Until the day he
fights me and beats me I can say what I
think of him, but until then he can't. I
am here to duplicate what Roberto Duran
did in his career. The big fights Duran
had would make me proud. Lopez and I were
at the top of our weight class, so why
not make the fight? My question is until
when are you going to keep running
JuanMa? Until when?
BRC: I always found it astonishing how a
guy your height ( 5'11" ) could make 122
lbs?
CC:
It's a blessing. I can make weight. I
feel strong but I've had a year and a
half where I had to sacrifice
tremendously to make weight. I had to
fast for 3 or 4 days before a weigh in.
It's time to go up to126 lbs. Everything
will happen when God permits it.
BRC:
Anything you want to say to your fans
before we go?
CC:
Yes, of course. We are waiting to see if
we can make this grand fight. I'm going
to give Lopez a spectacular fight. I am
sure of that. I am going to give him a
super fight. And in closing I want to
urge all the fans to come out to support
Celestino "Pelenchin" Caballero, I won't
disappoint them.
BRC: Thank you, Pelenchin, and best of
luck to you and your team.
CC:
Thank you too, for giving me an
opportunity to express my feelings
regarding my new trainer, my soon to be
ex-promoter and Juan Manuel Lopez.
