Interview: BJ Flores!

May 2, 2006

photo and story by Dale Hausner

BJ Flores had an accomplished amateur career. His 110-9 (65 KO's) at heavyweight is impressive. He was 1997 National Golden Gloves Champion, 2000 and 2001 Western Trials Champion and 2001 and 2002 Men’s U.S. National Champion. His amateur accolades go on and on but let’s skip the meat and get right down to the bone.

Main Events took notice of Benjamin Joseph Flores in 2002. They obviously liked what they saw and signed him to a professional deal. Even though he was more of a cruiserweight, the real money is in the heavyweight division and that is where they had him fighting.

His first scare in the pro ranks came in his fifth pro fight when Semisi Bloomfield caught him with a crunching hook in round two and dropped him for an eight count. While on the way down, he twisted his knee and instantly knew he was in bad shape. Flores got up on a damaged pin and his hard-charging and eager opponent promptly deposited him on his rump. He knew that one more of those and the referee would stop the fight. Gut check time for the Latin heavyweight. Flores got up and kept his cool. He knew what he had to do. He did it. He came razor close to stopping his heavier foe in the last round but ran out of time. He had to settle for a draw. It taught him a lot though. It was a valuable learning experience he won't soon forget.

BJ Flores is currently 15-0-1 (10 KO’s). Half of those knockouts were in the first round. He is best described as a boxer-puncher at heavyweight, but after 3 ½  years with Main Events, he now is a free agent, dropped down to cruiserweight and fighting for the WBF Cruiser title on May 13 in his hometown of Phoenix, AZ, at the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.

He is brewing with anticipation and excitement about his upcoming fight and chatted freely and openly for this exclusive interview.

Do you want to stay at cruiserweight?

For two to three years, I think I will be a cruiserweight...after that, I would like to go after the USBA title. Hopefully, I'd get ranked in the top ten. Then, I'd go after the IBF title.

How has training camp been?

Great...I've been training for this fight for five weeks now already and I still have three weeks left. It's been great, and I'm in great shape.

How has sparring been?

Sparring with (undefeated heavyweight) George Garcia, Danny Batchelder, Vassiliy Jirov and also Eric Vega. The toughest sparring for me is Danny Batchelder. He's the toughest for me to hit out of all those guys. But George is tough because he keeps coming. They all bring different things to the table.

Do you have your next fight scheduled?

I don't. I'm a free agent now. I've broken away from Main Events. I was with them 3 ½ years.

Why did you break away from Main Events?

They wanted me to fight at heavyweight. I want to fight at cruiserweight...it doesn't make sense to fight at heavyweight.

Yeah, you're kind of a small heavyweight.

Yes, exactly. I got up to 215 once...and when I did, it honestly wasn't me...I felt a lot different. I think it's most important to fight at an effective weight for me. But that is where the money is at (heavyweight). I'm always going to beat those bottom-level guys at heavyweight, but when you get to the very top, everyone is so good it's like that's when the size and everything really matters. Size is definitely a very big thing in the heavyweight division. I don't want to force the weight on. I want to take my time and mature properly into the heavyweight division.

If you do win a world title at Cruiserweight, would you want to fight for a heavyweight title for your next fight at heavyweight?

Not necessarily. I want a fight that will be a good fight for the crowd. Boxing is getting so focused on the money and on where the money is at...and of course money is important...but I want to give a fight to the fans that they want to see. I want fights that the fans want to come and see. I want them to say, ‘Hey, I got to come and see that fight.’ I want to fight people that are going to give me exciting fights at heavyweight.

If you could go back in time, and fight any Heavyweight champion of all time, who would it be?

Probably Jack Johnson. He was the original guy to make noise in the heavyweight division. Those guys were tough back then. Or maybe Joe Louis. I'm not at the level right now to say, hey, let me fight Joe Louis or Jack Johnson. I wouldn't mind fighting Primo Carnera...He's a big guy...I think it would look good for a little guy to get the big guy out of there. Hey, that would be a good show.

Where do you see yourself in a couple of years?

Hopefully right at the top of the cruiserweight division. A lot of good guys coming up...a lot of up-and-comers. We got a lot of young guys coming up like me, and I think we're going to be the future of the division in the next couple of years. Getting a belt and defending it and then moving on up to heavyweight.

How do you see the heavyweight division right now?

Good. I think you got a lot of good guys. I think Klitschko showed the other day that he is a real player. (WBO Heavyweight Champion) Sergei Lyakhovich is definitely tough. A lot of up-and-coming guys are tough. There is a lot more talent than people say that there is in the heavyweight division. There is a good mix of tough guys. There are a lot of interesting fights out there if the promoters can get together on the same page.

If after this fight, they offered you a fight with Sergei Lyakhovich would you take it?

No! I wouldn't. It doesn't make sense right now he's on a level right now that I am not quite on. I need a little more experience...and I'm just being real. I'm not ready to fight for a heavyweight championship. I'm totally focused on the cruiserweights.

What do you consider your style to be?

Everyone says boxer/puncher. I think at cruiserweight I'm a lot more of a puncher, as to where at heavyweight I was more a boxer...I didn't have the weight, honestly. The safest thing to do at heavyweight was to take them apart on the outside. I do have a little power at heavyweight. At cruiserweight, I am going to be a lot more aggressive. I am going to be coming forward more and mixing it up.

This is your first time being the headliner for a fight in Phoenix. Are you excited?

Oh, thrilled. This is going to be a great card by Dangerboyz Promotions. George Garcia is fighting and Jesus Gonzales is boxing as well. Eric Vega is going to be debuting. We are trying to make a name for Phoenix. Arizona has always had a history of having good fighters. It is important to re-establish that. We have good fighters again now. People aren't aware of the fighters we have in the valley now and we hope to change that. It's time to showcase the local talent.

Who is your favorite all time fighter.

Believe it or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. A lot of people might disagree with me. I've met him in Vegas, and he was always really cool with me. That guy is just amazing. You are going to have to knock him out to beat him. He is just too sharp and too smart. He has incredible God-given abilities. He is mentally tough, and that's how I aspire to be.

Who's your favorite female fighter?

Probably Elena Reid. I don't really watch female boxing too much, but Elena Reid always comes to fight.

How did you originally get into boxing?

My father was a coach in the army. He would take me and my older brother up to the gym. A lot of the guys in the gym would show us different stuff...like how to hold our hands and different variety of punches. I learned a lot from those guys. I had my first amateur fight when I was nine years old...and I won. A lot of people who saw my first fight thought I had a lot of ability and told me that if I stuck with it someday I'd be a world champion...as a kid even. It sounded kind of crazy to me. I was just a kid. It was definitely a very nice compliment and something that kind of always stuck with me.

Do you balloon up in weight between fights?

No way. I get up a little bit...maybe 215...not too high though. That is my comfortable weight.

Who do you think the all time greatest heavyweight was?

I don't think it was Ali. I think people over-rate Ali. It's tough to say...I'd say Tyson in his prime would have dominated Ali. People say Ali would have boxed him, but Ali had too many bad habits that Tyson would have exposed. He wouldn't have been able to get away from a relentless Tyson. Also, Larry Holmes was one of the greats. He held the title for a long time, and made a lot of defenses.

You were knocked down twice in your 5th professional fight. What was going through your mind?

I was like, man I couldn't believe it. I was really in shock. At the same time, I'm a fighter...and in a situation like that, I proved that I'm a dog, that I'm going to get up and I'm going to get you. Alright, you got me...now it's my turn to come and get you. It was tough. I got through it. It was difficult for me at the time. I had hurt my leg on the way down. I knew I had to get up and win all the remaining rounds. It was a stumbling block. I look back on it as something that gives me strength, and I think, hey, I don't want that to happen to me again. I'm just glad it wasn't on national TV. (Laughs)

What do you want to say to your fans that will be watching you on May 13?

People of Phoenix, come out and support the fighters who will be the future of the sport. The promotion is called, Champions of Tomorrow. There is a lot of talent on the card. Us as fighters are really nothing without the fans. We want to put on good shows, and build up boxing in Arizona. We have seven great fights planned. Really, we are nothing without our fans. So please come and support us. You will not be disappointed. I plan on giving it my all for my hometown of Phoenix. I want to bring boxing back to the big time, and I want to bring it here. I plan on doing it with raw adrenaline and pure edge-of-your-seat excitement. My website is www.bjflores.net

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