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Urquizo is 'somebody' fighting for title

CLOVIS — Told by some he’d be a nobody in life, Clovis boxer Rico Urquizo has certainly become a somebody.

Urquizo, 36, owns his own business — Show Tyme Flooring and Roofing in Clovis — and has been a professional boxer since 2012.

Now, the man that has always had dreams of making something of himself has a chance to realize a lifelong goal — bring a title back to Clovis. Urquizo will fight in Austin, Texas, on July 28 for the vacant NABF Junior Cruiserweight world title against Kazakhstan’s Ali Baloyev.

“I know this is the biggest fight of my career,” Urquizo said. “I work out three times a day, training and doing cardio. I run three-and-a-half to four miles a day, but next week, I’ll crank that up to 10 miles. I’m used to doing four-round fights, but this one will be eight.”

Urquizo (3-4-2) is a career light heavyweight fighter who currently weighs about 205 pounds, and will try to cut down to 200 on his 5-foot-11 frame by weigh-ins. Thus far, Urquizo says he doesn’t know much about his opponent, other than the fact that he’s 5-0 and recently fought in his first six-round fight.

According to Urquizo, his approach toward Baloyev will be to put his opponent’s back against the wall — or in this case, ropes. “I’m gonna have to make him go back, instead of allowing him to come forward,” Urquizo explained.

“I’ve seen a couple of his videos on YouTube. He’s throwing hard every punch, every fight. I gotta try to push him back and counter him. I’m gonna go out there and give him a run for his money.”

Urquizo says he sneaks out of work sometime between 10 a.m. and noon to get some training in each day, before heading home after work and doing his running, followed by more training afterward.

Urquizo, who’s trained by Master Eric Suan of Clovis’ Force of One MMA gym, began as an amateur in 2010, before his move to the pros in ’12. Joining Suan in Urquizo’s corner is Clovis’ Harvey Park and Hobbs’ Isidro Castillo.

In nine previous fights, Urquizo says he’s had several missed opportunities, and in reality, could have a record of 8-1 right now. “I’m ranked 99 in the world, and can easily be top 50,” Urquizo said.

“I take a little bit of everything (from my previous fights and apply it to my next fight). I try to figure out how to be patient, but not too patient, and things like that. Some of my previous fights, I left it in the judge’s hands, and you can’t do that.”

Urquizo says he’s gotten a good deal of community support, but still needs some help along the way. Urquizo is seeking sponsorship contributions to help pay for expenses. His target goal is to raise somewhere between $1,500-$2,500 for this fight.

A $250 contribution gets the sponsor’s name on Rico’s team t-shirts, while $500 gets a banner on Urquizo’s walkout jacket. “It can even be $10-$20, anything that can help me,” Urquizo said. Urquizo says to contact Force of One at 575-309-7119 if you’d like to donate.

And while winning a world championship and bringing it back home is certainly important to Urquizo, there’s an even greater purpose to what he’s trying to accomplish. “(This fight) is big. My story is that I want to be a role model to younger kids,” Urquizo explained.

“A lot grow up without parents, and are told they’re nothing and they’re never gonna be nothing. I was told the same things growing up. I lost my mother in 1991, and I became a troubled kid who bounced around from group home to group home. I was told I wasn’t gonna live past 21.”

Not only is Rico well past 21, he’s also living the dream along the way.