Prospect of the Month (March): Richard Torrez Jr
On an absolutely loaded week and month of boxing for high-level prospects, it should have been a very difficult and daunting task to select just a single "Prospect of the Month." However, it was eerily simple and obvious. US Olympian Silver Medalist Richard Torres Jr was asked what is a greater honor, Olympian or heavyweight champion? He said he hadn't experienced the second. So he couldn't answer. However, after Friday's performance, it appears he is well on his way and will be a heavyweight champ in short order. The Tulare, California native destroyed Donald Haynesworth in less than around to move his record to 9-0 (9), pass another "step-up test" establish himself as one of the next great heavyweights, and take home our "Prospect of the Month" Award.
The Tulare native steamrolled right through Haynesworth at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. It will likely take you longer to read this month's "Prospect of the Month" article than it took our Prospect of the Month to stop Haynesworth and move to 9-0 (9) in just 2 minutes, and 19 seconds. Torrez, as is traditional, started quickly, with movement and applying pressure coming out the aggressor. He backed Haynesworth into the ropes immediately. The Californian found his range with his jab and waited for his moment. The moment came around the 2-minute mark of the opening round as the undefeated southpaw landed a right hook followed by a straight left that staggered Haynesworth and left him defenseless in the corner, and Torrez went for the kill and unleashed a hurricane of power shots on his defenseless opponent that forced the referee to step in and stop the fight as Torrez secured his fifth first round KO.
Torres said he would be back in the gym on Monday, and he already had something scheduled. 6 foot 2 inch, 236 pound, 24-year-old seems to be on a streamlined path to a heavyweight title. Now it seems to be a matter of going through the gears, sharpening up, and passing each test as he should be fighting nothing but better and better opponents. No more soft touches. Torres can get to a heavyweight title in short order, but he needs to continue taking step-ups in each fight. I think he should be ready to take on challenges like Guido Vianello or Joey Cusamano. Names like Trevor Bryan, Charles Martin, or Carlos Takam would be the experienced-level veterans he needs on his resume, a scalp he needs on his wall. A win over that makes Torres an immediate player in the heavyweight division.
