Middleweight Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (26-0, 20 KOs) discusses his journey in boxing, which has lead him from Grand Rapids, Michigan to New York to Los Angeles. Quillin also talks about the significance of his nickname, his upcoming fight with Ronald “Winky” Wright (which will be aired on Showtime on June 2nd), and more.
Peter Quillin: When I was fifteen years old, I walked into a boxing gym for the first time. I was already very athletic. I liked to climb trees and stuff like that, but when I went into the gym, I just loved it and really wanted to learn how to box. It was kind of rough growing up, because I didn’t have a strong support system. I didn’t have my moms and my pops driving me to the gym. I had to do it on my own. I used to ride my bike. When my father went to prison, my family was struggling. It was kind of a typical situation where my mother was on welfare and had to look after all of the kids. I tried to stay at the gym, but it was hard. I wasn’t as dedicated as some of the other kids were. If I was, I think I would have been one of the top amateurs out there. But I don’t question God or ask Him why things had to happen the way they did. Sometimes people criticize me. They say, “He doesn’t do this right, or he doesn’t do that”, but for a guy with only fifteen amateur fights who’s now 26-0 with 20 knockouts as a pro, I think I’m doing pretty good.
I’m originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Floyd was always a person I looked up to. He kind of grew up the same way I grew up. Our fathers both did street stuff and they weren’t always around when we were kids. When I was eighteen, I moved to New York because I wanted to make something of myself. In Michigan, I might have followed in my father’s footsteps. I was doing things that could have landed me in jail and I had a low self esteem. A lot of people become a product of their environment, which is why I got out. When I go back to Michigan, I go to visit and then I leave. Boxing is my life now. It found its way into my heart. It gives me something to look forward to. It gives me confidence.
Fighting on the street and fighting in the ring are two different things. Being a professional boxer takes heart. On the street, you can throw a punch and the guy you hit might not know how to keep up with you. In boxing, you’re fighting a guy who knows how to take punishment and give it right back. That’s what challenged me the most when I started. I always questioned myself and wondered if I could be talented enough to be at the top level. A lot of these guys are very, very good. Sometimes you fight a guy who’s just as good as you, but it comes down to how bad you want it. That’s what makes boxing so great. For me, it’s not a sport. It’s a lifestyle. If you don’t live like a boxer every day, you’re not giving yourself the best chance to win. That’s why I’m the first one at the gym and the last one to leave. When I get in the ring, I know I’ve done everything I had to do to win the fight.
When I fought in the Michigan Golden Gloves, I was compared to “Kid Chocolate” [Eligio Sardinias Montalbo, the original Kid Chocolate] because of my Cuban heritage. Shortly after that, I started going by that name. The original “Kid Chocolate” was a great Cuban fighter. Sometimes you see fighters using the name “Sugar”. It started with “Sugar” Ray Robinson, then “Sugar” Ray Leonard, and then “Sugar” Shane Mosley. I’m the first to carry on the tradition of “Kid Chocolate”. Sometimes people say, “What’s he doing taking on the name of a legend?” Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with it. I’m a Cuban-African-American. I take a lot of pride in who I am, and I know the responsibility that comes with taking on the name “Kid Chocolate”. I know my history. The original “Kid Chocolate” performed at the highest level and when I carry that name, it means I have to train just as hard if not harder than he did.
Earlier in my pro career, I was living in New York and my manager advised me to move elsewhere. He talked to a friend of his, who asked Freddie Roach to take a look at me. I went out to Hollywood and trained at the Wild Card Gym and Freddie liked what he saw and said that he would take me on. I also train under Eric Brown, who trains Paulie Malignaggi who just won [the WBA welterweight] championship. I’ve got two boxing trainers and a conditioning trainer, Brad Bose, who pushes me to the max. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I don’t take anything for granted. I have to stay hungry. Even after I win the middleweight championship, I have to defend it. I’m an undefeated fighter and I’m going to do everything I can to keep that “0” on my record.
I knew of Winky Wright when he had those great performances against Fernando Vargas and Shane Mosley, but I became very familiar with him when he beat one of my favorite fighters, Felix Trinidad. When he beat Trinidad, it upset me. He was the better man that night, but now I’ve got the opportunity to get revenge. But I didn’t choose Winky Wright as my opponent. I don’t care who I fight. I leave that up to my team, but this is a fight that makes sense. A lot of fighters have avoided Winky Wright and a lot of fighters avoid me, so why don’t we fight each other? When my career is over, I want people to say, “This guy is a legend”, just like they say that about Winky Wright. I hope he comes to the fight in shape. I don’t want to beat an old Winky Wright, I want a Winky Wright who is at his best. The typical thing to do with a southpaw is to keep your lead foot outside of his, especially with a good southpaw like Winky Wright. But when I go to the gym, I’ll move to either side of the southpaw foot. It doesn’t matter. I’m in control. I’m the dominant fighter and come June 2nd, nothing’s going to stop me.
I want to thank my manger John Seip and his partner Jimmy McDivitt, my advisor Al Haymon, my promotional group Golden Boy Promotions, my PR guy Bob Triger, and Pablo Hernandez who is building my website. I also want to thank Boxingtalk.com and I especially want to thank all of my fans and supporters. This is a lot of hard work and I’m always doing what it takes to get better and better.
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