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“ALL I’M THINKING ABOUT ARE KNOCKOUTS”
Ask boxing aficionados for their list of the top punchers in the game, pound for pound, and odds are that you will find junior welterweight contender and former world champion Randall Bailey somewhere on the list. And with five wins in a row (the last three by knockout) Bailey is moving fast towards another shot at regaining his title.
Really fast.
“To be honest, all I’m thinking about are knockouts,” said Bailey. “I know if I hit anyone clean, they’re going out, and I feel as I’ve gotten older and gained more experience, my accuracy has become frightening. Just look at my last three fights.”
In those fights, Bailey took out 27-1-1 Santos Pakau in a single round, former world title challenger Juan Polo Perez in a round as well, and hard-nosed veteran Russell Jones in four frames. On Friday, October 13, Bailey will look to match or better these performances when he battles former world champion Cesar Bazan at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena in Hollywood, Florida. For the native of Opa Locka, Florida, it’s a way to re-establish himself as a leading contender for a 140-pound championship.
“I’ve proven myself in this game for over ten years and I’ve silenced all the doubters,” said Bailey. “They said I was too inexperienced to win the title and I won it, they said I couldn’t win if I had to go the distance and I proved that I could do that. Now they say I can’t regain the title a second time. Well, you know what, I’m gonna do that too.”
Bailey won his first world title in 1999, when he knocked out Carlos Gonzalez in just 41 seconds. He defended his crown twice before losing it in a war to Ener Julio in 2000. In 2002, he won a world title again by knocking out Demetrio Ceballos in three rounds, but he would lose it in his next defense to Diosbelys Hurtado.
Since then, Bailey would drop two more title shots to DeMarcus Corley and Miguel Cotto in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The fight against Cotto gave Bailey a new incentive to succeed though.
“I was cut against Cotto and really didn’t get a chance to get out of first gear, but that loss showed me that when I’m right, I can beat anyone in the world,” said Bailey. “I’m right now, and I’m ready for whoever Warriors Boxing puts in front of me.”
He’s proven it by winning five in a row against tough competition, and if he can add Cesar Bazan to his victims list on October 13th, the top guns at junior welterweight won’t be able to ignore him any longer.
“All I’m asking for is one more shot,” said Bailey. “I get it, and I will be champion again.”
For more information on Seminole Warriors Boxing, please visit our website at www.warriorsboxing.com.
