Exclusive Boxing Interview: Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin

Peter Quillin has never had it easy. Growing up on the rough streets in Grand Rapids, Michigan has made Quillin thick skinned. Quillin credits his older brother Craig for making him tough. Before Quillin had even reached his teenage years he was already fighting. “I first put the gloves on when I was seven years old,” Quillin remembers. “I was fighting a thirteen year old, I ended up breaking his nose.”

As he became a teenager the fight game seemed to come naturally to Quillin , but he still struggled to stay off the streets of Grand Rapids. So Quillin eventually join the local boxing gym to focus more on the sweet science and less on street life. “The first day I walked in and told the trainer ‘I got a little something,'” Quillin recalled gleamingly. “The trainer then told me to hop in the ring and show him what I could do.” Little did Quillin know at the time he was sparring with a national amateur champion. “It was a test,” Quillin stated. “To see if I had the heart to come back to the gym the next day.” And it was a test that Quillin passed with flying colors for in no less than four weeks Quillin had his first amateuer fight in Michigan.

Now as a professional, Quillin has the record of four wins, three of which have come by way of knockout and no losses to his credit. And besides dabbling in some modeling Quillin is now focusing on boxing one hundred percent. Quillins’ new found commitment and desire came from his younger brother who is currently serving time in prison. “He just told me to take boxing seriously, because he has seen guys with a lot of talent go to waste and they end up dead or in jail, the streets get them.” Quillin says sternly.

In his last bout in New York City, Quillin’s opponet became the first of which to last untill the final bell. All though it was a fight in which Quillin himself says it was his “worst performance” Quillin still got the well deserved decision for his fourth straight win as well as a valubale learning experience. “I actually ended up losing the third round, but I was able to adjust and win the last round.” Quillin continued by saying, ” You can’t always please the crowd.”

While Peter Quillin is certainly starting to make a name for himself in the New York City boxing scene, the name Peter Quillin is probably not the name you are familar with. The name you you have more than likely heard when people are referring to Quillin is “Kid Chocolate.” And no we are not talking about the popular Hall of Fame junior lightweight from the 1930’s. We are still talking about the same Peter Quillin from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who took the Hall of Fame fighters namesake after somebody in the gym said he shared a physical resemblance to the old Cuban fighter.

But Quillin is offering to become the new Kid Chocolate of the millenium with a little extra spice in style. “I still rock the old school style trunks when I fight,” Quillin lamented. “I catch a few jokes because of it but I don’t care.”

Quillin is also currently being trained by Colin Morgan who has worked with such fighters as Wayne Braithwaite, Andrew “6 Heads” Lewis and Larry Donald. With Morgan in his corner and his own natural punching power combined with his speed, Quillin is confident in his developing boxing craft. “I’m just focusing on boxing and not looking too far ahead; I’m still learning but I am really confident in my skills, ” Quillin explained.

“The Kid Chocolate” Peter Quillin is expected to be back in the ring on May 24 and again sometime in June going for his fifth and sixth straight win respectively. And you can be sure he is no longer taking boxing for granted. In closing Quillin remarked that “God has blessed me, and to my family back in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I love them.”