Luis Feliciano learned how to be a professional boxer from some of the sport’s living legends.
Junior welterweight Feliciano takes on fellow unbeaten Mykquan Williams on ProBoxTV, as the main event, on Wednesday, January 17, from the ProBox Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
In fact, Feliciano’s first professional training camp took place in Big Bear, California, and he found himself training beside Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, and Gennady Golovkin.
“My very first professional training camp I was training beside Golovkin and Chocolatito,” the now 31-year-old Feliciano recalled.
“This is back in 2015, when both of them were literally No. 1, No. 2, or No. 3 in the pound-for-pound list. That was an incredible experience.”
Feliciano trained for years before his professional debut in 2017, which came against Angel Rodriguez. He turned pro in a six-rounder, something usually only reserved for distinguished amateurs looking to skip the four-round part of the developmental process.
Reflecting on those days in the cold mountains, during the end of an era for boxing, Feliciano continued: “To be honest, how I was at that time, I just shut up and listened. Anything they said, I listened to. Anything they did, that was what I tried [in the gym].”
Feliciano, 17-0, with 8 knockouts, is now looking to get going. His 17 fights have come over a seven year period and he is nowhere near where he envisioned himself when he started out training alongside the best in the sport.
But he carries the experience with him, nonetheless.
“I can really say they taught me how to train like a professional, how to conduct yourself like a professional,” Feliciano added. “I really applied myself and learned from them. I was really star-struck, to be honest. I remember we all ran together, and this was every day, and it was a surreal moment. I remember saying, ‘Damn, I am doing well for myself’, and thinking if I am in this position I am here for a reason.”
Feliciano hopes to show the reason for those precious memories on January 17 on the ProBox TV telecast.
