Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images

PATRICK TEIXEIRA
Age: 25
Hometown: Santana de Parnaiba, São Paulo, Brazil
Weight class: Middleweight/junior middleweight
Height: 5-foot-11 (180 cm)
Amateur record: 30-5
Turned pro: 2009
Pro record: 26-0, 22 knockouts
Trainers: Edson ”Xuxa” Nascimento
Manager: Edu Mello
Promoter: Golden Boy Promotions and International Boxing Group (IBG)
Twitter: @alenteixeira

Best night of pro career: Teixeira is most happy with his most recent performance last October. The Brazilian punching machine stopped the usually durable Don Mouton in seven rounds. Previously Mouton (now 14-10-1, 12 knockouts) had only once been stopped by the much bigger, future WBO super middleweight titlist Gilberto Ramirez.

“My best performance was when I faced Don Mouton,” Teixeira told RingTV.com through his agent, Patrick Nascimento. “It was a hard fight; I threw many punches and I received a dangerous blow but thank God we got (the) victory.”

Worst night of pro career: He is three fights removed from what he says is his worst performance. On this particular night in his hometown, he won a landslide 10-round decision but failed to impress.

“It was when I faced Mateo Veron from Argentina,” he said. “I received many headbutts and they cut me. I could not make a good fight.”

Next fight: Teixeira takes a huge step up on Saturday when he faces long-time middleweight stalwart Curtis Stevens in support of the HBO Pay-Per-View broadcast featuring RING middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez versus Amir Khan, beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Both fighters have fan friendly styles and this promises to be an exciting fight.

“I think that will be a good fight; (Stevens) is a stronger fighter,” said Teixeira who arrived in America on Sunday. “He has lots of experience and has already faced big names but I feel ready for put on a good show.”

This marks the third fight in a row – sixth in total – that the southpaw has fought in America. However, none of those fights were on a stage as big as this one, a fact not lost on the Brazilian.

“(It) is a big opportunity in my life,” the 25-year-old said confidently. “I’ve been working very hard for this fight and will show my work and continue my way to the world title.”

The recently turned 31-year-old Stevens enters the bout on the back of a 19-month layoff, after losing an IBF title eliminator against former WBO titlist Hassan N’Dam. The New Yorker sports a respectable 27-5 (20 KOs) ledger and has been a pro for almost 12 years. Previously, he held the NABF strap and went eight punishing rounds with Gennady Golovkin in his sole world title attempt.

Nascimento is keen for his client to test himself against the heavy-handed, battle-tested Stevens and believes he can make a statement to the 154 and 160-pound divisions.

“Yes, without problem,” he said, “but first, we want to focus on this fight because Stevens is a hard fight. Step-by-step, I trust in the potential Patrick has. He’s training very hard for this fight. May 7, we will leave all the best in the ring to get the victory and go on to a world title.”

Why he’s a prospect: Teixeira won several tournaments in Brazil including Kid Jofre, Paulista, Brazilian Golden Gloves and Tournament of Champions.

He considers his ability to throw a lot of combinations to be his biggest strength. Golden Boy matchmaker Robert Diaz agrees and also feels his conditioning is something that sets him apart.

Diaz likes what he sees in Teixeira but is reserving judgement on his ceiling as fighter until after the Stevens fight. “Ask me after May 7th,” he quipped. “That will give us all a great idea.

“I am confident it will be a very good fight with non-stop action and that Patrick will win convincingly.”

Currently, he is world ranked at junior middleweight. The WBC ranks him at No. 12, while the IBF has him at No. 4 and the WBO places him at No. 5.

Nascimento has worked with his countryman for five years and speaks highly of him.

“Patrick is one of the most focused and dedicated athletes I have ever seen in my life,” he said. “Since he was amateur, he was already a focused boxer and very responsible with his commitment to boxing.

“Every fight, he passes (the test). He becomes more confident. He’s a smart boxer with a sequence of very good blows. Today everyone knows that he is coming very strong and has potential.”

Why he’s a suspect: So far so good but there are always things to work on; Teixeira concedes that.

“To reach the top, we need to fight the best boxers, like Curtis,” he explained. “Evolving each fight, learning more. That is the way to reach the top.”

Diaz believes the Stevens fight to be the acid test – and we’ll learn what Teixeira is made of – but he’s very pleased he took the fight without any hesitation.

Story lines: Brazil isn’t known for producing world-class boxers. In fact, only four male world champions have come from the soccer-crazed country. At 13, Teixeira first became interested in boxing, more by happenstance than anything else.

“I watched a lot of Bruce Lee movies and I was searching for a martial arts academy and I found a boxing gym and stayed until today.” he said.

Like many children growing up in Brazil, Teixeira had a tough upbringing. Though he no longer lives in Sombrio, his family remains there and he visits them a couple of times per year.

His boxing hero is Evander Holyfield.

Away from boxing, he is married and enjoys playing his country’s national pastime, soccer, with his friends.

Fight-by-fight record:

2009
Aug. 9 – Fabio Pardinho – KO 2
Sept. 8 – Flavio Pardinho – TKO 2
Sept. 19 – Roberto Carlos – TKO 2
Oct. 24 – Valdevan Pereira – TKO 5
Dec. 8 – Adan Martinez – RTD 3

2010
Feb. 19 – Joseph De Los Santos – SD 6
April 13 – Esmeraldo Jose Da Silva – TKO 3
June 1 – Jailton De Jesus Souza – KO 1
June 29 – Eraldo Cesar Pereira – KO 3
Sept. 14 – Hector Martin Trinidad – KO 2
Dec. 7 – Dario Armando Matorras – TKO 1

2011
Feb. 5 – David Lopez – SD 6
Aug. 23 – Pablo Aguero – KO 2
Nov. 12 – Felipe Dos Anjos Matos – TKO 1

2012
March 6 – Samir Santos Barbosa – TKO 1
May 4 – Javier Hernandez – KO 1
July 14 – Alfredo Chavez – TKO 1
Sept. 8 – Omar Vasquez – TKO 8

2013
Jan. 12 – Luis Acevedo – KO 1
June 28 – Marcus Willis – UD 10
Nov. 13 – Alejandro Gustavo Falliga – TKO 5

2014
March 15 – Ignacio Lucero Fraga – KO 1
Aug. 30 – Mateo Damian Veron – UD 10
Nov. 15 – Ulises David Lopez – KO 3

2015
April 18 – Patrick Allotey – KO 2
Oct. 2 – Don Mouton – TKO 7

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him at www.twitter.com/AnsonWainwright

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