JEYVIER CINTRON

Age: 24

Hometown: Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Weight class: Junior bantamweight

Height: 5-foot-6 (168 cm)

Amateur record: 260-14

Turned pro: 2017

Pro record: 10-0 (5 knockouts)

Trainer: Ivan Calderon

Manager: Peter Rivera

Promoter: Top Rank Inc.

Instagram: @jeyviercintron

Best night of pro career and why: Cintron feels he has grown as a fighter greatly since turning professional in 2017.

“In each fight I have improved more,” Cintron told The Ring through Aleudi Rosario. “We have seen the mistakes that have been made and we try to correct them.

“But I think the last fight (Eliecer Quezada) is the best one, although in every fight I feel more confident, I already feel very good as a professional.”

Worst night of pro career and why: Cintron learnt a valuable lesson early in his pro career, one that has stood him in good stead since.

“The third fight against a Mexican (Edson Eduardo Neri),” he said. “We did not make the adjustments as to how I ate after the weigh-in and I think I did not look like I wanted to.”

Next Fight: Cintron will meet experienced Koki Eto in a WBO 115-pound eliminator as chief support to the WBO junior lightweight title fight between Masayuki Ito-Jamel Herring at the Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, Florida on Saturday.

Eto (24-4-1, 19 KOs) is a significant step up in competition for the Puerto Rican but one he expects to make without too much of an issue.

“It’s the biggest fight of my life,” he said. “I did not expect it to arrive at this moment, so quickly. But it’s time to show everyone that Jeyvier is ready.

“(Eto) is a former world champion, he has fought with champions. I have everything against me, but I will surprise everyone. (Eto) is my strongest rival, but I feel well prepared in all aspects, I’m working like never before.”

Eto is a battle-hardened fighter who held the WBA interim flyweight title 2013. The 31-year-old Tokyo resident has won his last seven fights after losing a spirited contest against Carlos Cuadras in a WBC 115-pound title fight in 2015.

The Japanese fighter has only been stopped once and is durable. Cintron figures to be too young and fresh and will likely be a step ahead of the Japanese fighter, winning a competitive decision.

Photo by Marcos Mejias Ortiz PR Best Boxing Promotions

Why he’s a prospect: Cintron was a standout amateur, winning five consecutive Puerto Rican national titles as well as multiple tournaments on the Island.

He fought at the 2012 Olympics as a 17-year-old reaching the quarter-finals. He become the first Puerto Rican boxer to fight at two Olympic games when he represented his country in the 2016 Games.

“That was the challenge I had,” he said. “It was a fulfilled dream. I thought I would enter the pros in 2012 after the Olympics, but I did not and I stayed and made history. I feel proud. And now we are ready to make history as a professional.”

In between his Olympic adventures he won gold at the Youth Continental tournament in 2012 and was chosen as the best boxer. He won silver at the Youth World Championships in Armenia in 2012. He claimed bronze at the Central American and Caribbean Games in Veracruz, Mexico in 2014 and participated in the 2015 Pan American games in Toronto.

He represented the Puerto Rican Hurricanes in the semi-professional World Series of Boxing, going 6-1.

Cintron holds two wins over former IBF bantamweight beltholder Emmanuel Rodriguez and also beat fellow 2012 Olympian Janthony Ortiz in the amateurs.

He has also sparred with a plethora of fighters including former two-weight champion Juan Manuel Lopez, Rodriguez, current trainer Ivan Calderon, Jonathan Oquendo, Luis Lebron and Jonathan Gonzalez.

The 24-year-old feels his ring smarts are his best attributes, doubtlessly honed during his ample amateur career.

“My cunning, my experience and intelligence in the ring.” he said.

His trainer, Ivan Calderon, who held world titles at 105 and 108 pounds, was known for his smooth boxing skills and defensive skills prowess and sees some of that in his fighter.

“He has very good movements and uses his jab well with his hook,” said the boxer turned trainer. “Also, although he is left-handed, his right is his strong hand.”

Why he’s a suspect: After an extensive amateur background that included 274 fights, Cintron has seen many things thrown his way and coped admirably so far. It won’t be in the skill department he is found wanting.

The 24-year-old has fought away from home during his amateur and professional career and was unfazed by that.

The one area that appears to raise a question is his power. The second generation fighter has stopped only half of his 10 opponents to date. However, it should be noted that due to his amateur pedigree he has moved quicker than other prospects at this stage.

Calderon is working with his charge to improve on the areas he feels would benefit him in the long term.

“We are working to settle down more to place the blows with more power, more solid,” explained Calderon. “That will help his punches come out stronger.”

Storylines: Cintron was born in Bayamon, a northern coastal town in Puerto Rico. His father, Javier, boxed with middling success and his mother, Aracelis, was a boxing referee and judge. Although Cintron played baseball, he was always going to box.

“Since I was a baby I grew up watching my father and was interested in boxing,” he said of his formative years. “I just started training myself. But at five years old my father started working with me until today.

“I played baseball and my coach was my current manager in boxing Peter Rivera. I was also in boxing and I played basketball and other sports.”

“Perrito” (Spanish for Puppy) has lofty ambitions for the future.

“My goals in professional boxing are to become world champion in four divisions and if God allows me in five divisions,” he said boldly. “And starting from now to make history.”

Away from boxing Cintron enjoys playing pool, going to the beach and spending time with his family.

Fight-by-fight record:

2019

March 29 – Eliecer Quezada – TKO 1

2018

Dec. 7 – Marvin Solano – DQ 7

Sept. 1 – Alonso Melendez – UD 10

July 27 – Gregory Vera – UD 8

June 2 – Omny Padilla – RTD 3

April 27 – Jonathan Burgos – TKO 4

March 17 – Aneudy Matos – TKO 3

Feb. 23 – Edson Eduardo Neri – UD 6

2017

July 21 – Guillermo Dejeas – KO 2

April 21 – Leonardo Reyes – UD 4

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright