Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Column on Austin Trout

Last Saturday in Panama City, Panama, Las Cruces junior middleweight prospect Austin Trout won his biggest fight of his career, scoring a majority decision win against Nilson Tapia.
The 23-year-old needed the win if he was going to make waves as a professional fighter.
It’s been tough at times for Trout as professional. He’s missed out on some big opportunities and he had to go to Panama to earn a chance to crack into the Top 10 of the World Boxing Association rankings.
If nothing else, Trout has shown a great deal of patience in his pro career and it appears it’s paying off. He’s stayed relatively busy, enough to claim a 20-0 record. He’s also fought in Mexico and Canada and hopefully along the way, he’s learned something about being a professional.
It wasn’t easy for Trout against Tapia (not many thought it would be), but Trout showed why many thought he could make waves as a professional. Trout is a slick fighter on offense and can be hard to hit at times with his defensive movement.
Much was made of Trout’s debut as a pro in 2005, just a year after he was crowned a U.S. National Champion. New Mexico has a history of turning out good pro fighters, i.e. Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero, Louie Burke, Bobby Foster, etc. and the hope for many is that Trout is the next in line to achieve that type of status.
Trout is in a division with plenty of talent. There is Kermit Cintron, Alfred Angulo and Sergio Martinez among others.
At some point in his career, Trout is going to have to take a step up and fight those calibers of fighters. Boxers get respect by fighting the best in their weight class and that’s the next step for Trout.
He’s proven he can handle adversity, now he has to prove he can handle top-flight contenders and champions.
Trout is talented enough to be moved upward in his career, now comes the question can his people, meaning his managerial team, get it done for him.
Other young fighters in Trout’s weight class with lesser or equal merit have earned fights on television and gotten more publicity, but I’m not sold there are many better fighters than Trout at least on paper.
Hopefully for Trout, his next fight won’t be in Panama, Mexico or Canada, but rather here in the states on a televised-card against a good fighter, a spot where Trout can find out whether he has the real goods as a fighter or not.
As an amateur, Trout fought and beat the best and he’s taken on every challenger and beat them as a pro.
But now is the time for him to take a serious risk and find out if he can become New Mexico’s next world champion.

5 comments:

MOOSE said...

No doubt about it Austin Trout is the real deal he went into a hostile enviorment AND traveled seven hours in the air to get there...things at times shall we say a bit unorganized? Food that was not great hotel bed in downtown Panama he scrounged for a place to train etc... O by the way did I mention he fought Nilson Tapia who was no chump he had a solid record and a solid right hand with at least 15 pro fights and if you believe this guy only had 15 professional fights I have land for sale in sonoma ranch for 500.00 Nilson Tapia is in the same camp as World champ Felistin Caballero AND I am sure he had a few rounds of sparring with the champ!I agree it is Austin's time to shine but Austin has ducked no one...why would anyone want to fight him? Austin is slick,fast,powerful and very smart why would any manager in his right mind put his fighter up against Austin? So austin does what he has to, chases fights down... Austin is making noise and all these "champions" who dont want to defend thier title against a quality fighter look behind u Thats Austin Trout tapping on your shoulder.

Anonymous said...

Tell him to find a manager and a promoter worth a damn maybe his carrer will go somwhere.

Moose said...

His manager and his promoter are doing just fine...whats the hurry? Austin will be champion one day soon but there is no reason for him to take fights that are not good for him...his manager is Bob Spagnola who actually cares about Austins well being and also manages David Rodriguez and Abie Han. the promoter is Nacho Huziel who by the way has promoted and managed 24 world champions!I would question your credentials if only u had enough guts to talk trash and back it up with your real name.

Anonymous said...

No one is talking trash i love to watch Austin box. He will be a world champ, but in order for that to happen he needs to stay busy. Also don't get your panties in a ruffle we are both fans of Austin he just needs to be a little more busy. No name promoters will not get him anywhere he needs to get with someone who will get him fights on tv. I guess that is why mixed martial arts is takng over they don't sugarcoat anything if the fighter is good they are good they get them in there fighting to make a name for themselves. Have him get with GBP, Arum, or king they love ex olympic guys. look at Vanes he is getting quality fights.

Anonymous said...

well I guess you theory just didnt play out Austin is Ranked #1 and still with Spag... So where does he go from here? Japan? Or how bout Yuri Foreman? you should no better than to think Arum,GB,And KING! are you kidding me! will do anything good for Austin of course we will have to dance with the devils at some point put at least we have an honest guy in his manager Bob Spagnola...