Tag: Denver

D’Angelo Sandate- Punching His Way From The Classroom To The Ring In Pursuit Of Gold

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While most high school kids are looking forward to winter break and hanging out with friends, Pomona High’s D’Angelo Sandate has just “a bit” more on his plate.

The Las Vegas born Coloradan is in Reno, Nevada preparing to compete in the 108 pound division at the US Olympic Boxing Trials, December 7-12. Sandate earned his way to the trials with his strong showing at the Pathway to Glory Olympic Qualifier 1 in June.

Sandate is supported by a strong family and he honors them every time he steps in the ring. He fights for his father, who has been his coach and mentor since he began. He fights for his mother who’s cheers drown out the crowd. He fights for his brother, inspired by his strength in having had a liver transplant at age five.

He want’s to show in Rio that he’s not only an “A” student in the classroom, but also in the ring.  As we spoke about his journey and the road that lies ahead, it was evident that Sandate is a student of the game and not so much overwhelmed by the moment as he is ready for the opportunity.

I caught up with Sandate at Delgado’s Gym in Denver on the eve of his departure from the Mile High City in route to the Biggest Little City In The World to discuss the upcoming trials.

Standing-8: You’re eighteen, have been boxing for about ten years and are still in high school?

Sandate: Yes, about ten years, yes, I’m in high school at Pomona (Arvada, Colorado).

Standing-8:  Oh, Pomona, you guys are in the state football championship on Saturday.

Sandate: Too bad I can’t go, I got other stuff , just a few things to do. (Laughs)

Standing-8: How did you get into the sport?

Sandate: I used to play football and you know how there is an off-season? My dad just took me to the gym, and I was in there and just loved it. I stopped playing football and just started doing boxing. My dad was a boxer, it’s always been me and him all the time cause we’ve been to a bunch of gyms, but in the end, it’s always been just me and my dad and that’s what I appreciate, that he’s always by my side.

Standing-8: Talk to me about this experience for you; you’re a senior in high school and you’re going to Reno to fight in the Olympic Trials for a chance to win the tournament and be on your way to Rio……to be in the Olympics!

Sandate: It’s a big thing because I’m still really young, I barely just turned eighteen and will be fresh outta high school when the Olympics come. I think it is just going to be a great experience either way it goes. I’m planning to out there and win, I want to go out there and win, but even if it doesn’t happen, it’s still a great experience and I still have four more years to stay in the amateurs and try again in 2020.

Standing-8: About your age, are you the youngest competitor in the 108’s for the trials?

Sandate: I’m the second youngest, there’s some guy from New York that’s seventeen, he turns eighteen out there though. Him and me were the youngest, fighting grown men, we just barely turned eighteen, it’s a great experience, I love it, other people get scared but, I don’t know, it’s a thrill ride for me.

Standing-8: Do you think there are advantages to being a bit younger and maybe exploit those advantages in the ring?

Sandate: I believe so, these guys have been in like major tournaments, not like this but big tournaments, I’ve only been in the boxing scene for a little bit because I’ve been taking my time. When I was sixteen, I could have fought open class and fought twenty year olds and my dad was like no, you’re going to take a little break, wait for your body to develop, use this time to get better. So that’s what I did and once I got older, I went out there and I fought, I did good, I thought I did good, my dad thought I did good, must have done good if I’m in the trials. I think we’re both really young but I’m just going to go out there and use all my energy that I can, like my younger energy I guess you can say. (laughs)  

Standing-8: Talk to me a little bit about your path to these trials, you were a Golden Gloves champion?

Sandate: Before this one, I just lost to Melik (Elliston). It was my first fight from two years, first fight as an open fighter, three minutes, I wasn’t really used to it. I did great the first round, second half I started to gas out.

Standing-8: You won Golden Gloves in 2013, did I see that, any other tournaments you’ve won?

Sandate: I think it was 2012, I won Gloves two or three times as a junior. I’ve won National Silver Gloves before. I’m a little inexperienced compared to these other guys but it doesn’t matter, I’m just going to go out there and fight.

Standing-8: That’s the right attitude to have, really the pressure would be on them actually, right?

Sandate: Yes, because I’m the younger fighter.  

Standing-8: From your experiences at the Golden Gloves and the Nationals, what do you believe you learned that will help you in the trials here?

Sandate: From those fights, you know, you win some and lose some, like the last Gloves, I lost. I wasn’t too down on myself, he was like twenty-two years old, he’s an older guy than me. I just learned from it you know? These guys have a winning track, even when you’re winning, it’s kind of hard to learn some things but when you lose, it’s much easier to learn from it, and that’s what I think is really good when I lose, I get better from it each time. I think I’ll be able to carry that out to the trials.  

Standing-8: What it would it mean to you to win these trials, go to the Olympics and be representing the United States and Denver,Colorado

Sandate: I’d honestly be honored and shocked. This has always been a dream of mine since I was little. Me and my dad would be, 2016 Olympics, the 2016 Olympics, we’d always just fool around and now that it can come true, we’re like..oh my god.. we actually gotta start getting to work now (laughs).

Standing-8: Talk to me a little about your training and your preparation getting ready for these trials and your mindset.  

Sandate: I mean, there is a saying, 90% is mental and 10% physical, I believe when you train, the most important part is to be mentally strong. Anybody can be physically strong in what they do but, if you’re not mentally strong it doesn’t matter. When you go out there and let’s say you’re losing, you will just go down the drain…oh my God, I’m losing..it’s not going to fix anything. But if you are mentally strong, you go out there you lose, the second round you come out and adjust and come out and try and win.  

Standing-8: Who are some of your favorite fighters?

Sandate: Juan Manuel Marquez. He’s a great fighter, he’s really old (laughs) and he’s still fighting and keeping up with these young guys and I love his style, him and his coach are great, Nacho Beristain.

Standing-8: Is your style comparable to a particular boxer, did you mold yourself after Marquez kind of style?

Sandate: A little bit, he’s more of a counter puncher, I can’t really be like that because I’m the shorter guy, I got to go in there and bring the fight. I follow his style a little bit, like the way he keeps his hands, how he’s composed, and I brought a little of Brandon Rios kind of, coming forward but more defensive. Come forward, head movement, catching punches, throwing punches n bunches.  I also like Manny Pacquiao because of his speed.

Standing-8: What are your long term goals? We talked about using this as a learning experience if it doesn’t go exactly like you’ve planned, you come back in four years?  

Sandate: It all depends on what happens out there. I would love to turn pro, that’s always been a dream of mine too, to turn pro and be a World Champion. If I get offers, I’d probably turn pro and then not wait the other four years but if I don’t then definitely wait the four years and try it again. Then if I don’t get an offer, I’ll just turn pro on my own.

Standing-8: What are your long term goals in the pros, weight class?

Sandate: Did you just watch that fight, it was a while back, “Chocolatito” (Roman Gonzalez) vs Brian Viloria, you know what weight they are their like 114, I’m guessing that will be around my weight, maybe 120’s, it all depends on how my body develops. Unless I get a growth spurt (laughs).

Standing-8: I spoke to your mom and I know she is very excited and nervous at the same time. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Sandate: She is, when we go to the fights, she is always the loudest. Yes, I have a little brother.

Standing-8: What do you think about the removal of the head gear?  

Sandate: I was a little nervous at first but when I went out there, I felt a lot better, seeing a lot more, you can obviously feel a lot more and you can feel those elbows coming in, especially headbutts. The championship night at the qualifier, I got headbutted and got a pretty nasty black eye. You know what? I love that, I’m hoping I go to this tournament and get some cuts and bruises, I know it sounds weird.

Standing-8: Battle scars, you back to high school wearing them like a badge of honor. Let me ask you about your high school, Pomona. How aware are they about the trials? This is a big deal, you’re going to the Olympic trials

Sandate: A lot of my teachers know that I box but they’re more behind their football team, especially since they’re going to state and last year our wrestling team came runner-up and the year before that our wrestling won state so they’ve always been behind the big sports.

Standing-8: I know that they will be behind that, but in your case, they have a student that is going to the trials for a chance to go to the Olympics and that’s a big deal. They should of had a “King (Sandate’s nickname) for a day” and gave you a pep rally.

Sandate:  (Laughs) Today, they read on the announcements, “Good luck D’Angelo in the Olympic trials” It was pretty cool. It’s going to be a great experience, I’m really excited for it. I’m kind of glad I’m going in there as an underdog. Malik and Pablo and Nico are the top three guys and expected to do real good, they’ve been around the boxing scene. The other people in there like me, we’ve kind of been underlyers. I think it’s my time to shine.

Standing-8: Who besides Melik have you previously fought that are in this tournament?

Sandate: I’ve only fought two, Malik and Pablo. Those are two of the top three guys which I’m fine with. When I fought them, a lot of people were expecting them to blow me out of the water but that wasn’t it, I brought the fight to them.     

Standing-8: That says a lot for you heading in here, you’ve already fought some of the top guys and even though you weren’t victorious you held you own. You know, a couple of things here and there and these trials could be a different outcome.

Sandate: I’ve improved. I know it sounds bad but losing is a good thing. I lost to the Pablo guy and I’m going to learn from that so when I go in there and fight him again, it’s going to be something different. I lost to Melik, gassed out, this time I won’t get gassed out, I’ll be in shape and be able to fight all three rounds.

Standing-8: I thank you for giving me this opportunity, and I wish you the best of luck. I look at you still being in high school and how cool that would be. Best of luck to you.

Sandate: No, thank you, thank you, I appreciate it.

The “elder” competitors in the 108 pound division would be wise not to sleep on Sandate. His mindset of how he will approach the trials and his explanation of what he learned from his losses indicates that his ring I.Q. may be a bit above what to expect from a fighter his age.  No doubt a credit to his coaches, his father and Shann Villauer.

Sandate is a dangerous opponent, in that he’s not, even by his own admission, one of the three favorites in the division. A fighter with nothing to lose and so much to gain.  

If youth is served and Sandate wins the field, maybe he’ll get that pep rally after all and a proper send off to the road to Rio.  

Denver’s Melik Elliston Ready To Earn His Right To Make A Run At Olympic Gold

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Under the watchful eye and wise guidance of his father Everette, Melik Elliston is destroying his training session on a cool night in Denver at Delgado’s Gym.

Be it mitt or bag work, the twenty-one year old native of the mile high city listens carefully to his coach and effectively executes the instruction given. These are the moments that are putting the final touches on the next step in his journey, the Olympic Trials in Reno, Nevada, December 7-12.

On January 24th in Spokane, Washington, Elliston was impressive in defeating Texas’ Pablo Ramirez by unanimous decision and winning the USA Boxing Elite National Championships. The win earned Elliston a slot in the Reno trials. If successful in winning the 108 pound class at the trials, Elliston will represent the US in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 summer games.

I had an opportunity to sit down with Melik this past week and talk about his journey, his relationship with his father/coach, and the lessons learned from the late great Ron Lyle.

Standing-8: So, your dad is your coach, how long has he coached you, since the beginning?

Elliston:   Since the beginning, yes, he didn’t box or anything, he knew martial arts, he knew the basics, I boxed with Ron Lyle.. at the Salvation Army, I wasn’t really learning anything at first, that’s when my dad stepped in and he was learning as well as I was learning. I think like my second year of boxing. My first fight, I was eleven years old, my dad was in the ring when I fought.

Standing-8:  Family comes first and you have a real strong foundation, talk to me a little about the father-son, fighter-coach relationship.

Elliston: It’s always good, he got me to where I am at right now, I mean you know, sometimes it’s rough waking me up at five in the morning, “hey get up go run, come on go do this, go hit the bag” before he has to go to work and when I was in school wake me up at five to go work out. It’s a blessing to have my father as a father and a coach to be able to provide what he does.

Standing-8: You talked a little bit about Ron Lyle, your time with Lyle, what did you take away from those experiences with Ron Lyle, did he mentor you in the game?

Elliston: You know he is an old school fighter, he taught my father a lot of stuff, we got a lot of old school techniques. His words were powerful when we were in the ring. “If your hands ain’t moving, your head and your feet are moving” That’s eight years ago and it’s still stuck with me.

Standing-8: Getting back to the USA Nationals, what were some of the lessons you learned from that journey, from winning the USA Nationals that will prepare you now for these trials, what can you draw from those experiences?

Elliston: A lot is how the judges do the judging. They like the more busier…the person who looks like their controlling the fight all three rounds. That is a big thing I learned of how they will be judging. You cant pot-shot, you cant just one-two punches, you have to one-two punch and then go in with a combination, five or more punches just to keep going forward. That’s a big thing I learned from fighting there.

Standing-8: Tell me how your training has been going into Reno getting ready for the trials and how your mind set is.

Elliston: I’ve been training hard, been real focused. My mindsets been on this, thinking of this. I don’t do nothing. I started my camp a month earlier than I usually do for tournaments. Getting my head right, my diet right. I wish I would have done this a while ago, starting earlier cutting this weight and just getting focused, like now I have no doubt in my mind that I shouldn’t come out with this gold medal and be on the Olympic Team. My mindset is real strong, and training as well.

Standing-8: What would it mean to you to win the trials, be on your way to Rio and be representing the United States on that Olympic Team and going towards your dream of getting that gold?

Elliston: It would mean a lot, this is the first step in my dream, winning this, to call myself an Olympian for the USA. It’s all I’ve been fighting for, all this time, ten years of my life in boxing, I’ve been preparing for this, me and my father preparing for this moment. Winning this would definitely be amazing. Winning the gold medal, that’s my main goal right there.

Standing-8: Has that been your goal since you started at age eleven?

Elliston: I would say not at eleven. When I was young I was just boxing, I didn’t have any dreams or goals, my goal was to get a trophy. A couple years after that once I started being in the foundation of boxing and learning more, that’s what I wanted my dream to be. I set my dream high and that was to become an Olympian. 

Standing-8: That was a good segue, you said set your dreams high, become an Olympian, winning the gold and you spoke earlier about how that was going to set you up for future goals. So after the Olympics, we’re talking down the road, not to lesson the journey here but is the goal to become a pro and if so, what’s your thoughts about that long term goal and what division do you feel you’d be suited for in the pro game?

Elliston: After I win the gold medal, I’m definitely, definitely going to turn pro. My goal in the pros is to win titles, since I’m little, I think I’ll fight no higher than 125 pounds. So, I’m going to fight around that weight class.

Standing-8: Those weight classes have been exploding here lately, a lot of talent in those weight classes and they’re finally starting to get the coverage and some big headlining fights. Who are some of the fighters that you like? That you followed, that you really like the style and do you emulate your style after anyone in particular?

Elliston: First, my favorite fighter is Roy Jones Jr. That’s mostly who I studied, his defense, that’s what I like, and Mayweather and now Rigondeaux. Fighters like that, fast, beautiful movement and defense and being able to come off of their defense and score and attack. That’s the styles I like. Boxing’s an art. It’s a chess game in the ring, if you’re not playing chess in the ring, you’re not boxing. The smarter fighter always wins.

Standing-8: A multiple run at the Olympic games?

Elliston:  I’m getting older, after this Olympic run, I’m looking to get my pro career going. A Lot of these fighters turn too late. I’m going to be fighting fighters that almost thirty years old. Most of the other countries that are in the Olympics, like when I went to Italy, I fought some dude that was twenty-eight years old. I don’t want to do that and then turn pro, that’s too old. So, 2016 Olympics, I want to turn pro in 2018. After this run, I’m training to get ready for pro.  

Standing-8:  I wish you the best of luck on this journey. I know the City of Denver is going to be pulling for you, the right to have an Olympic Team member going to Rio from the Mile High City, they’ll be backing you every step of the way on to your dream. I appreciate you giving me this opportunity to interview, take some pictures, see a little bit of your camp and best of luck to you.

Elliston: Thank you, I appreciate it too.

Throughout the interview, I observed a young man with poise and confidence beyond his years. It is evident that his strong family foundation has prepared him for this journey. In watching Everette coach Melik, you can’t help but see, not only the respect and unison of a fighter and coach, but also the love and unbreakable bond of a father and son.

I asked Elliston if I had it correct that his nickname was “The Hitman”, he looked at me, smiled,  and then said, “No, I have a new nickname now……”Tha One”

No better mindset to have going into the biggest opportunity of his life.

Standing-8 Interview-Mike Alvarado, The Road To Recovery, In And Out Of The Ring

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(L-R Trainer Shann Villauer, Standing-8’s Rick Guerrero, Mike Alvarado, Manager Henry Delgado)

One hundred and sixty-two days. To most it means little, a few weeks short of six months, the number of days until a vacation, anniversary, or other special occasion, but to someone in addiction recovery it means the world.

Today, “Mile High” Mike Alvarado is particularly proud of what that number means to him and for good reason. One hundred and sixty-two represents the number of days that have elapsed since Alvarado made his first step towards sobriety.

It’s not an easy thing to come forward and share your past, especially one that deals with addiction, but for Alvarado it is about putting closure on a regretful period while looking forward to the journey that lies ahead.

Standing-8 had the opportunity to sit down with the former junior welterweight champion at Delgado’s Gym in Denver, Colorado to talk about his past, his future, and why he earned the nickname the “Should-er”.

Standing-8 Mike, thank you for the opportunity to interview you and for your willingness to discuss those hard issues outside of the ring, it’s a good thing to tell your own story.

Alvarado- You’re welcome, thank you, yes it is.

Standing-8 I commend your decision to get well, it must have been difficult to take that first step and admit that you have a problem that you need to deal with.

Alvardo- Thank you.

Standing-8 So first, I want to ask how your family is, I know you got married, you were engaged prior to the Rios fight in January?

Alvarado- Yes, I got married; I got a ring on it!

Standing-8 Congratulations

Alvarado– Right on, thank you.

Standing-8 How are the kids?

Alvarado- Kids are good, they are happy; I get them all the time. I cleaned that up…neglecting my children, living in that lifestyle. I get my kids every day, I have a bond with my kids, I’m the father that I need to be. It’s awesome, my kids are happy; I can’t get enough of it.

Standing-8  You’ve been in recovery since the Rios fight in January, correct? Did you enter rehab shortly thereafter?

Alvarado- Since February, February 18 is my sobriety day. Since then, I’ve been clean. Five and a half months, I’m on day one fifty-something..or one sixty-three, I believe? One sixty-two, I wrote it down on my calendar that on my birthday my sobriety day would be one-sixty one, so today is the day after my birthday so..one sixty-two!  One hundred sixty two great days sober, I count it day by day cause that’s all it takes is one day. One day can change the whole effect of what I’m doing, why I’m staying sober, why I’m staying clean. Being here in this gym to make another run at what my dream really is, everything that has happened in my life, the law, the rehab, it all added up to this point now, I’m comfortable with what I need to do.

Standing-8    I commend you, that’s a tough step to take.

Alvarado– It was a tough step at first you know, that I’m going to have to live with this humility, but maybe I had to go through it because I wasn’t being humble. I’m humble now; I’m comfortable with talking about it because it was true, you know, I wasn’t living the lifestyle that I should have been living. I should have been. They called me the “should-er” when I was with my counselors; I “should” on myself all the time, because if I just would have stayed in shape throughout that whole process, after the first….ten fights ago, if I would have just stayed in shape, kept focused till now, I’d still be undefeated. So, I would be like if I would have just did it back then.. That’s why they call me the “should-er”, I “should” on myself all the time because I know what I should have done. It is what it is, I’m past all that now, it’s behind me, I’m comfortable with talking about it now because I lived through it. I made a complete change.

Standing-8 Can you talk a little about how you decided to make that move and how your recovery is going this past hundred and sixty-two days?

Alvarado– I knew since the Rios fight, January 24th of this year, I knew I wasn’t ready for that fight, I was still fighting that lifestyle, I was still trying to train, I was mixing it all in. I would have never thought my eye was going to mess up, I was going to get a paralyzed muscle in my right eye.  I’m kind of glad it did, you know, because that really made me see, hey I could have lost my eye, I could have really lost my vision, it’s not about boxing, I have kids I have to raise, I have a family, I have a life outside of boxing. My health is more important than just being a champion, the money and everything. When I was living that lifestyle after that fight when my eye occurred, I was fed up with that lifestyle. I couldn’t live that lifestyle no more.

I was telling my girlfriend (wife now) it was February 17, 16th or 17th.  this was my last time, my last little rodeo of messing up, living that lifestyle. I told her, I’m done with this babe, I can’t live this lifestyle anymore, I don’t want it anymore. The next day, my family comes with an intervention, I had no idea, surprisingly they came, all my brothers and sisters, my interventionist, Henry, my manager, they came. I saved them all the talk, I was like I’m done, I can’t live this life, let’s go….so I entered into rehab, CeDAR rehab, over in Aurora. It was the best decision, the best investment I ever made in my life. Since that day, February 18, 2015, I’ve been clean.

I’ve developed everything in my life, I’ve stacked on a lot of problems, I got caught in the law, I was in places I shouldn’t have been, in the wrong place at the wrong time, around the wrong people living in that lifestyle as well, I couldn’t do it no more, I got caught downtown with a gun, I was with the wrong people I shouldn’t have been with. God willing…God knows that I’ve surrendered my life over to the will of God. He’s guided me through these steps now to be a better person, to be a better dad, a better athlete god willing, you know I’m living through it, it’s a blessing.

Standing-8 Who have been your strongest supporters? You mentioned Henry, your manager, your wife, your team, your family, the team that came over for the intervention, so it has been just good family and team support?  

Alvarado- Having that support has been the best you know, the backbone to my recovery, to my life, to the lifestyle I’m living now. I got married, the support that I have from my family, Henry, my loyal fans, I’m cleaned up now.

Standing-8 That’s awesome, I’m going to switch it up a bit and go back to the beginning and ask if the addiction was always a part of your career or do you remember a certain fight when you really started noticing that the lifestyle… I mean was it really truly the Rios fight in January or was it several fights prior?

Alvarado- It goes back, I say at least fifteen, twenty fights back. I’m a talented athlete/fighter, give me a ball I’d dunk it, throw me a baseball, I’d hit a home run, boxing I’d be a world champion, wrestling, I’d be undefeated. Hard work beats talent when talent aint working hard. It got to the point as I got older, I can’t rely on my talent no more, I have to work hard now, I have to back up my talent. I wasn’t working hard almost my whole career; I was winning fights just on my talent. I’ve never fought a fight at a hundred percent. Now that I have that clarity, crystal clear with my training, the way I’m living, it’s like now, let’s see what I can do with it. I’m excited, to see what I can do, I’ve not fought at a hundred percent. Make a comeback maybe November/December, get a tune up, stay in shape, win again, make a comeback, I’m only going to get better.

I remember in one fight specifically, about fifteen fights ago, I was in Las Vegas I was in front of my manager Shelly Finkel, he’s like the godfather of boxing, he was there to see me and I was trying to prove myself, show that I’m worth the investment. I remember while I was living that lifestyle, I was fighting this dude that had no business standing in the ring with me, he made that fight a close fight, I looked like garbage, I didn’t feel good. I wasn’t up to my standards where I could have been. I still won but it still wasn’t the best I could have been with my ability.

I knew my talent would back me up, but then, after the fights, I would want to quit putting myself back in that lifestyle, stop the drugs and alcohol, and everything that came with that lifestyle. I would want to stop it but I honestly didn’t surrender myself to that lifestyle till after the Rios fight in 2015. So now that I’ve surrendered my lifestyle over to the will of God, he’s put everything back in place like a puzzle. It was a puzzle that was all messed up and then I surrendered myself; it’s a clean puzzle now. Now I’m working hard, it’s the fight back, the road back to Mike Alvarado.

Standing-8 That’s good, I’m excited to see that. So those nights leading up to January 24th, was that where you saw the issues outside of the ring really hit their peak right before that fight?

Alvarado– I knew it hit its peak, it only showed in the fights, not the first Rios fight, I trained hard for that fight, that fight shouldn’t have been stopped, but that’s the way it went. The Provodnikov fight, I should have been ready for that one, I should have been training my butt off for that, I won the world title, I’m defending it in my backyard, I should have been on my toes, I should have been a hundred percent, no, I was forty percent, fifty percent for that fight, thinking I could just win it with my talent, it don’t work that way no more. Marquez came after that, thanking the Lord above that my promotion still had my back, they are still lining me up with fights. I was a very entertaining fighter that people wanted to see.

Standing-8 You’re out on the streets at 3 AM a few weeks before the Rios fight, when you look back on the choice that you made now to move forward to get that help and turn your life around, do you look back to that night……..

Alvarado- I look back to all of those nights, to all the fights that I should have won, I look back to certain fights that I won but could have won easier.

Standing-8 (Breidis) Prescott? I remember watching you make those slight adjustments late in the fight and thinking you are starting to get to him and that you may stop him, then in the tenth, boom. So when you tell me now that the training wasn’t there and you were winning on talent, I just think about the Alvarado that we will see, one with a dedicated work ethic.

Alvarado- Yes, with that heart, because that was my heart that was instilled in me to come out in that fight and still not a hundred percent. I was hurt with my weight during the whole camp, I was overweight, barely made weight, I was dying for weigh-ins, I just fought out of pure heart and talent.

Standing-8    Fighting at home in Denver, a curse or a blessing?

Alvarado- In the lifestyle that I was living, it was a curse because of the lifestyle I was living. I was letting those distractions let me down and distract me from what I really need to be doing. That’s why my production, my manager, wanted to get me out of here. That’s why I went out to LA, got away, and got my mind-set back to where it needed to be. I trained in my hometown, I was hard-headed, but I love training in my hometown. When I am training here, it’s over, I’m in better shape, the elevation, my supporters, my family, you know, this is my domain, I should be able to train here and be focused and represent my city. But living that lifestyle, I wasn’t able to do that. It was a curse to me because it hurt me; I gave in to that lifestyle. Now? I don’t have an urge, I set my boundaries with other people, the alcohol, if you bring alcohol around, I’m like I hate it, it played a huge part of my life that I don’t want it no more, keep that away from me, it’s like the devil to me.  When I did go to rehab, it’s not that I had to detox, I just needed some psychological, someone to talk to me, like hey, you got this, to counsel me in ways that I wasn’t getting through to what I needed to do. I was meshing all that in and thought I could do it. I was taking my talent for granted because I wasn’t backing it up with the hard work. I was taking my talent for granted because I was winning fights, just off my talent, thinking ok, it’s ok if you keep winning fights on pure talent. No, hard work beats talent when talent aint working hard.  It came to that point, I’m only getting older, I can’t fight forever

 

Standing-8   I’m going to read a couple of quotes from you and then I want to ask you a question-

Back in 2010, in an interview you stated “I wasn’t living right, like I should have been. I was partying, I was drinking…I wasn’t grounding myself. I had to open my eyes,”

Then after Provodnikov (2013), it was said that you were not adequately prepared, you stated “I have to go back to my training. I have to go back to being healthy and focus on getting it back.”

After the loss in January-

“I was looking at my physical condition, I could have shown heart, but who knows what would have happened after that?” “I wasn’t training like I should have. That’s what I get! I got to get back to the drawing board. I’m not at peace with myself. I’m not going to say I did everything I could to win. I didn’t do everything I could. That’s what I get.”

Seems we’ve been here before, why is this time different Mike?

Alvarado- This time is different now because I’ve surrendered my life over and I don’t have that feeling, like I said in the past I wanted to quit. When I was in the gym and I was showing up to what I had to show up to and talk to whoever I needed to talk to, I was putting on a show, I was putting on a front, I was saying what they wanted to hear. It wasn’t real though but now I don’t care, I dealt with it. All that I went through I live with it. I’m talking about it because I’m comfortable with it now, I’ve put it behind me, I know it’s different, I don’t have those craves no more. I don’t want that life no more. I’ve surrendered my life over and I am comfortable where I’m at. I’m happy where I’m at. I’ve never been this happy in my life. I’m good with never fighting again and still being happy with my kids.

Standing-8   Successful at life?

Alvarado- Definitely, boxing isn’t everything. It’s just what I do to support my family. I love the attention of performing for people, putting a smile on a kids face when they are watching me, being a leader to those who look up to me. Now it’s teaching these kids, the sky’s the limit living the right path.

Standing-8   Tell me a little about your work with the kids.

Alvarado- We have these kids come here (Delgado’s Gym), there are a lot of talented kids out there, they don’t have the guidance to be taught what they would never learn, what they would never know because they don’t have that guidance. I’m here, I’m giving back because I want to give back, I had that guidance when I was growing up. I’ve been through it all and I had that guidance and still put myself in places and did things that I shouldn’t have done. So, I can talk about the right decision to make, by them looking at me and listening to me that if I didn’t make the choices that I did, I should be on that poster next to Pacquiao.

 

Standing-8 So, wise guidance again, you are paying it forward.  

Alvarado- I’m giving it back, paying it forward, doing what I want to do cause I know these kids don’t have it. I have nephews that their dads are in prison. I’m the only male figure in their life that can help these kids to give the guidance to be better and not make the mistakes I’ve made.  My goal is to open a gym for wrestling and boxing; it’s implanted in my brain, my blood.

Standing-8 So Mike, what’s next? You talked about a tune up at the end of the year, you have a great team with Shann Vilhauer and Henry Delgado, what do you see for the next year?

Alvarado- I have a great team, finish this year with a tune-up fight, going into the next year ready to make another statement with one of the top ten pros/boxers out there, making my name and a statement that I’m back. What I’ve been through, why I’m back, where I’m going from here. Only time will tell, the fights will tell, my actions will prove and show what it is. One step at a time, I’m taking baby steps to get back in the gym. I’m the heaviest that I’ve been but now I’ve got my nutrition, eating the right meals that are not going to hurt me and keep stacking on that weight, training every day. I’m making them steps man, I’m doing what I need to be doing. I’m hungry for it now. I’m excited, when I got back in the gym I could feel those testosterone levels firing again and I’m like let’s go, I’m back. Before, I kind of lost it, I wasn’t feeling as strong and my blood wasn’t flowing through my system like it is now. God willing, it goes the way that I want it to go. All I can do is pray for it and hope for the best.  

Standing-8    I’m excited to see the new Mike; we’ll be praying for you. You said once, “The only person who can beat me is me” and I want to close this interview by saying that is true and the road back will be difficult at times but you can be great again. I’m honored to be one of your first two interviews to talk about your past and addiction. I commend you on your candidness.

Alvarado–  It’s time, I’m ready to let the world know and talk about everything that I went through.

 

If Alvarado fought as well as he did with an undisciplined training regimen, a partying lifestyle that led to addiction issues, and a mindset that his talent would always be enough, it will be exciting to see what a dedicated Alvarado will bring to the ring. Most will be skeptical about a thirty-five year old pugilist with several wars on his résumé being a top contender again but in interviewing Mike, something was different about his mindset, his peace. It would be unwise to bet against him.

Alvarado’s last fight was a disaster. By his own admission he should never have been in the ring, his performance, a product of a lifestyle not conducive to his craft.  He has come a long way since that January 24th night.

Alvarado will be fighting a different type of opponent for the rest of his life. This fight with no titles on the line and no money earned but with every day that is added to his sobriety he will place a championship belt around his waist.

A resurgence of his career will be a bonus; it’s about Alvarado winning at life that is most important, not only for himself but for those around him; his family, his team, and the many kids who look up to him as a role model.

Special thanks to Henry Delgado and Shann Vilhauer.