Unbeaten native of Guadalajara, Mexico has put the no-contest against Guillermo Rigondeaux in his rearview as he focuses on winning a 122-pound title against Daniel Roman this Saturday night on Showtime.
Moises Flores is constantly moving forward, in and outside of the ring. Ask him about last August’s bout versus Guillermo Rigondeaux and you’re liable to become his 18th KO victim.
It’s a night Flores, (25-0, 17 KOs, 1 NC), would like everyone to forget. Rigondeaux landed a left cross a full second after the bell rang to end the first. Flores hit the mat hard and was counted out.
The bout was initially ruled a KO victory for Rigondeaux before being changed to a no-contest days later. Naturally, some question whether Flores could have risen and continued. Only Flores knows what that shot tasted like, though.
“I want to thank all those people for motivating me,” Flores said. “While they keep bringing up the past, I’m moving past it. Something illegal happened that night, something that wasn’t right. It’s been dealt with and I’m tired of talking about it. All I care about is the road ahead.”
Standing in his path is WBC world super bantamweight champion Daniel Roman. Flores and Roman will square off this Saturday night at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The bout serves as the co-feature to the Errol Spence Jr-Carlos Ocampo main event on Showtime Championship Boxing (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).
Roman, 24-2-1 (9 KOs), riding high off a surprisingly one-sided decision win over Ryo Matsumoto, is the favorite. But Flores, 31, is accustomed to being underestimated.
As a kid growing up in Jalisco, Mexico, his light skin and hazel eyes made him an easy mark. A prepubescent Flores scored several early KO’s in the streets. Friends began calling him Chucky, after the psycho doll in the movie Child’s Play, who a young Flores resembled in more ways than one.
As Flores’ rep grew, local coaches encouraged him to take up boxing.
“When I was 18, I met a trainer who gave me an opportunity to make the Mexico national amateur team,” he recalls. “I had to compete against a couple of the team members to try and take their spot. So, I was running 2-3 times a day, training twice a day—doing everything I could. I ended up beating a couple guys and I earned my spot. That’s when I realized that I could do something in boxing.”
“ I want a big gym in Jalisco with my name on it. I want a program where we can bring the youth off the street. Beating Roman will help me get there. ” Unbeaten 122-pound contender Moises Flores
Prior to that, Flores kept his boxing ambitions under wraps.
“I come from a big family; mother, father and seven brothers,” he explained. “No one knew that I was boxing. I didn’t want to ask anyone for help. Everyone was trying to do their thing and just make it in life. So, when I made the national team, they realized what was going on (laughs). It was good to have all their support behind me.”
Flores turned pro in Mexico, winning his first 22 fights and catching the eye of scouts who worked for Garry Jonas’ Probox Management. It was Jonas who brought Flores to the US.
“I thank him and my entire team for what they’ve done for me,” said Flores. “I want to pay them back. I’m motivated by what happened against Rigondeaux because I didn’t get a chance to show what I’m capable of. The Roman fight is on a big stage, so it’s a major opportunity for me.”
“Roman is a good boxer. He’s very consistent, sets a good pace. He might throw four or five punches, but the ones I’ll throw will be really hard. I hit harder than him and I don’t think that he can hurt me. I’m willing to stand and trade and I hope he is too to give the fans what they really want.”
Flores left nothing to chance. He began a nine-week camp in Mexico, moved to the Muck City Boxing Gym in Florida for strength and conditioning before returning to Mexico to close out camp with long-time trainer Rafael Guzman.
“I’ve prepared myself for 12 rounds of constant pressure. I’m ready to go to war. Of course, I want the knockout. But if I hit him with something and he goes, then he made a mistake. I’m not hoping for mistakes, I’m preparing to bring it every second.”
Flores still resides in Mexico. Although he’s removed from the harsh Jalisco areas, those streets are as rough now as they were then.
“Obviously, I want to be a world champion and make a lot of money,” he said. “That way I can pay for kids’ tuition and make sure they fulfill their dreams. But I want to help all the kids. I want a big gym in Jalisco with my name on it. I want a program where we can bring the youth off the street. Beating Roman will help me get there. It’s all in front of me."
Just the way he likes it.
Get a closer look at Moises "Chucky" Flores by clicking on his fighter page.
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- Moises Flores
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