By: Chris Robinson
www.Boxingherald.com

Boxing Herald’s, Chris Robinson sits down for an exclusive interview with Jerson Ravelo

Have a good talk with super middleweight Jerson Ravelo and it might be hard afterwards to associate him with a sport as cruel and punishing as boxing. Ravelo is a man who is extremely positive in his ways and it’s hard to find a mean streak in the Dominican Republic native. Maybe his kindness comes from his upbringing or perhaps it stems from his learning lessons while being involved in the sport, but either way, Ravelo’s humble nature seems to be what largely defines him.

As he prepares for a June 20 showdown with undefeated Andre Ward, Ravelo is at a crossroads in his career. Just four years ago Ravelo was undefeated and on the verge of taking his career to new heights. An unexpected loss to David Lopez in April of 2004 saw Ravelo lose both his undefeated record and the support from many around him. Ravelo regrouped well, but another loss to Allan Green would follow in October of 2006, again setting the New Jersey resident back. Now sporting an 18-2 record with 10 knockouts, Ravelo has carved out a career that has been highly respectable yet still unfulfilled in many areas.

The losses in his career have been hard to take, but the lessons that Ravelo has learned along the way are priceless. Learning the true meaning of friendship and support after his setbacks, Ravelo is a man reluctant to give his trust to just anyone. And these days, he spends much of his time to himself. He knows what it is to be at both ends of the spectrum, as he was once an undefeated prospect on the rise and now finds himself as the underdog to the younger, undefeated Ward — a 2004 Athens Olympics gold medalist. It may not have been scri pted the way he liked, but Jerson Ravelo’s career has introduced him to a healthy dose of the good and bad associated within the sport. To his credit, Ravelo has remained steadfast throughout and a victory over Ward on June 20 will allow him to turn the tables in his favor.

Just weeks away from a pivotal make or break moment in his career, Ravelo was calm and low key as he spoke about his past experiences within the sport. In his own words, this is what Jerson Ravelo had to say about his showdown with Andre Ward, his childhood days, his early years in boxing, his dreams in life, and more