Press Release: Part of the learning process for a young fighter is to make mistakes. And 23-year-old heavyweight prospect JD “The Natural” Chapman, 22-0 (20 KO’s), admits he made plenty in his last fight, a third round stoppage victory over formerly undefeated Matt Hicks. Chapman will return to action on the undercard of the Briggs vs. Koval heavyweight battle next Wednesday, May 24, at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom in a rematch against Illinois native Edward Gutierrez. Chapman, the only man to have beaten Gutierrez, says he’ll be looking to put on a much more impressive showing that night.   “Without the benefit of much of an amateur career, I’m pretty much learning as I go along,” said the Arkansas power puncher. “Sometimes, I look sensational and other times I get off track; it’s part of developing as a fighter. Luckily, I have this power to bail me out when things don’t go as planned!”

 

Manager Scott Hirsch says he’s looking forward to Chapman making a much better account of himself in this fight. “JD was less than impressive in his national television debut,” admits Hirsch. “But it’s only a matter of time before what he shows in the gym becomes what the boxing world will get to consistently see from him. We didn’t take him out of field in Arkansas for nothing, this kid can HIT. And nobody in the division is training as hard as he is to make it to the top. That, I am sure of.”

 

The first time out against Gutierrez, Chapman cruised to a clear unanimous decision…this time the plan is different. “I hope he (Gutierrez) comes into the ring thinking I’m going to be fighting the way I did last time. It’ll only make it that much easier for me to knock his head into the third row.”   New trainer Jeff Mayweather says he’s been helping Chapman make total use of all his weapons. “The primary thing we’re working on is for JD to make his jab a weapon and part of his arsenal,” he explains. “He’s got a lot of talent, more than I thought, but he has to impose his size on a lot of these guys and he’s not doing it yet. He’s fighting like a boxer as opposed to a big strong man, which he is. I expect a pretty good performance out of him Wednesday night.”