By: Sean Crose
“My father was a professional,” rising bantamweight John Leonardo tells me, “so I just followed in his steps pretty much.” Sure sufficient, New Jersey’s Leonardo comes from boxing inventory, his father having been an expert middleweight. Indeed, the senior Leonardo additionally gave his son the nickname the junior Leonardo now goes by – Body Shot. “My dad was a body puncher,” Leonardo says, “one of the best body punchers. That was something that was instilled in my mind.” The senior Leonardo additionally appears to have helped instill a high quality fashion for his son. Fighting behind a excessive guard and a powerful jab, Leonardo is aware of methods to keep vary whereas making use of stress within the ring.
He’s going to have a golden alternative to showcase these abilities this May eleventh, when he takes on Frank Gomez on the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. The Tony Jeter promoted Leonardo-Gomez struggle is being seen as a highpoint of that night time’s Boxing Insider card. “I don’t know much about him,” Leonardo says of Gomez. “I’ve seen plenty of film of him. It’s not something I’ve been worried about.” What’s extra, Leonardo has been getting ready to return to the ring for the primary time since August – when he received a unanimous choice over Dominique Griffin – for months now. The 10-1-1 Leonardo certainly had one other struggle lined up, but it fell by means of, which implies the 23 yr outdated is now wanting to return to motion.
“Everyday I pretty much work out three times a day,” Leonardo tells me. “I box every night.” The man is nothing if not disciplined even by skilled boxing requirements. He’s additionally keen to embrace lower than conventional types of coaching. “I try to pick it up almost like I’m running,” he tells me of the swimming routine he’s utilized to his struggle preparation. “I usually do between 50-60 laps and every few laps I try to pick it up.” Suffice to say, the younger fighter likes to swim nonstop to be able to get essentially the most out of his pool periods.
He could solely have been preventing professionally since 2021, however boxing has clearly been part of Leonardo’s life for fairly a while. Before turning professional, the Daily News Golden Glove winner earned himself a powerful beginner resume. “I had over 65 amateur fights,” he says. “I won the New Jersey Golden Gloves. I also won the Diamond Gloves for New Jersey….I fought overseas in Sweden as an amateur, and Denmark with the New York Metro Team.” As far as the longer term goes, nonetheless, Leonardo has his eye on a significant prize. “I’m looking to get into the top ten,” he tells me. “Obviously my goal is to win a world title. That’s the big goal.”
Tickets for Boxing Insider Promotion’s May eleventh card might be bought at: https://www.ticketmaster.com/boxing-insider-live-professional-boxing-atlantic-city-new-jersey-05-11-2024/event/02006076BA7B700C
