SHORTLY before his groundbreaking win over fellow world champion Thammanoon Niyomtrong on ‘Latino Night, ‘ Boxing News caught up with Oscar Collazo, a man on a mission.
UNTIL now, Saudi Arabia’s seduction of the noble art has yet to trickle down to boxing’s smallest fighters. On November 16, however, Golden Boy Promotions’ first major card in Riyadh will feature a rare minimumweight unification bout between WBO champion, Oscar Collazo, and the WBA titleholder, Thammanoon Niyomtrong, aka Knockout CP Freshmart.
For Collazo, it’s not only a chance to further his lofty ambitions within the sport but to also expose the 105lbs division to an entirely new audience.
“The lower weights are changing,” he tells Boxing News. “A lot of people have noticed. And I believe that this is a big opportunity for us. To give this opportunity to the lower weight classes, to fight over there on a huge card, on a huge platform. Right now, it’s the Mecca of boxing, over there in Riyadh. I believe that the lower weight classes is being shone a light again and I think I’m gonna make that difference, to put people on notice that the lower weight classes have exciting fighters too.”
Collazo made history in May 2023 when he retired Melvin Jerusalem after seven gruelling rounds to become the fastest Puerto Rican boxer to ever win a world title. The 27-year-old southpaw sees his rapid professional progression as a testament to his own dedication, and in becoming a world champion it appears his appetite for further titles has only grown.
“Since day one I wanted this fight. I wanted a big fight. Make history like I did in my seventh fight when I got the world title. Now, a big unification fight for my country, for my fans. A very hard fight, and I feel great. I feel great that I’ll be the first Puerto Rican to fight over in Riyadh,” he declares proudly.
“Physically, he’s [Knockout CP Freshmart] a very strong fighter. He fought in Muay Thai, he’s a reigning champion, and a reigning champion for a long time and he’s a very explosive fighter.”
Developing up to world level in such a short space of time has only been possible through teak-tough matchmaking from the very start. Collazo’s stellar amateur pedigree will have undoubtedly helped, but in facing the likes of Pedro Villegas, Vic Saludar, and Yudel Reyes the Puerto Rican has been given the sort of “sink or swim” treatment that’s only ever reserved for unique talents.
“All these tough fights made me better. [They] make me a better defensive fighter, make me use my IQ in the ring. Every time I fight, I leave opponents showing them how good I am, how the IQ is, how my strength and conditioning is, and this is another opportunity for me to show all my abilities I got because I know I gotta use them against Knockout [CP Freshmart]. It’s something that I wanted from day one because I wanted to make history. I knew I had the skills, the mentality of being the best, of making big things for the sport. It’s launching me into where I am today, this fight will catapult me into the legends of Puerto Rican boxing.”
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Collazo moved to Puerto Rico when he was eight years old and, in doing so, has formed a strong attachment with the island he now calls home. History is littered with great Puerto Rican fighters of the past such as Wilfredo Gomez, Felix Trinidad and Wilfredo Benitez but for now Collazo remains their standout fighter. It’s a privilege, but also a pressure, that he welcomes.
“I’m the only male champion right now from the island. I’ve got a huge responsibility and I carry it. I carry it with all my heart because I do it for them. I do it for my island, I do it for my fans, my family. All that helps me to be better every day, to work hard every day. But I’ve got a huge responsibility,” he declares.
“I’d say Puerto Rico, they got the best boxing fans. If you’re big in the sport they’re gonna be by your side no matter what. They do it with all the sports. Every sport. Even bowling! If there’s a Puerto Rican in bowling, they’re gonna have a huge fan base of Puerto Ricans. But in boxing, it’s exciting. Puerto Rican boxers are always very exciting fighters. They attract a lot of people.”
Like so many of his fellow countrymen, Collazo’s love of sport began with a baseball bat in his hands. When he eventually made the transition to boxing his natural ability was evident for all to see. Collazo would go onto win five national amateur boxing titles, a bronze medal at the 2017 Pan American Championships and a gold medal two years later at the Pan American Games.
“I started as a baseball player. For my height I knew I was not gonna make it so I chose boxing and I just loved it. I was training for two months and I had my first fight and I saw my family very proud. They was screaming, yelling, they was very happy for me. So, I said, “I think I’ll stay here.” So at that time I kept fighting and I kept winning. I was getting better and better and a lot of people saw the talent in me. They was just telling me, “You’re gonna be big in the future. Stay disciplined.” All these comments made me think, “Okay, I’ve got a big thing here.” When I made the Puerto Rican Olympic team, the American Games, the World Championships, I saw my future being in boxing.”
Central to Collazo’s success has been his relationship with manager and trainer, Juan De León. Brother of the former two-time cruiserweight champion, Carlos De León, Juan’s work with Collazo has extended far beyond education inside a boxing ring, cooking for his scholar as well as teaching him about the pitfalls that can befall a young fighter in this dark trade.
“He saw me in the amateurs. I didn’t know, because he was living in Buffalo. He saw me and, when I wanted to go pro, I wanted a complete team. Doctors, massage therapists, a good team. And when I met Juan De León he helped through my first fight, training from Buffalo. When I signed with him, he came over here to stay with me and I gotta thank him because he showed me how to be a good person and all about the business of boxing that a lot of managers don’t show. How the people are all around boxing, and I’m learning a lot; what to do, how to eat, when to rest. He’s a very intelligent man. He’s got a lot of years in boxing.”
With his first trip to Riyadh now imminent, Collazo has begun to formulate bold plans, both short and long-term. In the immediate future, victory over his Thai foe will take him one step closer to an historic achievement in the four-belt era.
“I’m planning to fight for all the belts. Winning this fight, then I want to be the first undisputed champion at 105lbs. When I’m finished then 108lbs and 112lbs. Wherever my body will take me to. I want to be remembered as the best lower weight class boxer from Puerto Rico. I want people to remember me as that. That I helped my community, I inspired other people to be the best and stayed disciplined. Where I’m from, I want to help the community of boxers because there’s a lot of talent. I want to be remembered as the person who inspired someone to be a champion.”
