The atmosphere inside of a boxing gym is pretty special. Hard work, dedication, and a unique cast of characters all come together for one common goal and in many instances the individuals in the gym become family with one another.
Contender’s Gym in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is no different, as the facility ran by former two time champion John David Jackson serves home to a wide range of talent, culture, and personality. While brash individuals like Lightweight Champion Nate Campbell and Super Middleweight Contender Allan Green give the gym much life with a heavy dose of humor and bravado, there are fighters who are low key in demeanor yet just as important to making the gym aura complete.
Roughly a year ago I came across a man who was quiet by nature yet full of immense talent. His name was Damian Frias, a Jr. Welterweight contender better known better by everyone in the gym as ‘Devo’. Sporting a 15-1 record with 7 knockouts at the time, I got to know much more about Frias, from his struggles finding future opponents to his upbringing in Placetas, Cuba, to his early days in the sport. All the while I found Frias to be a humble and down to earth individual simply striving to make a better life for himself and his family through his gifts as a boxer.
Over the past year Frias’ frustrations grew over his inactivity in the ring. Proposed bouts with Francisco ‘Gato’ Figueroa and Nick Casal never came to fruition and I sensed that Frias would be more than willing to face anyone near his weight class just as long as it gave him a chance of returning to the ring. Frias’ business ventures in the real estate field were able to supply an income that allowed him to take care of his family but his fighting nature was getting pushed to its limit.
A few weeks ago, Frias’ luck changed for the better as he stepped back into the ring for the first time in nearly a year as he squared off with journeyman Edwin Algarin in Key West, Florida, on January 16th. The bout was looked to be more of a tune up bout than anything else, as Algarin’s hairstyle and obvious love for his Puerto Rican heritage where much more striking than his abilities as a fighter. Fighting as a full fledged Welterweight for the first time in his career, Frias shook off the rust and went to work, slowly picking Algarin apart over the course of ten rounds. After a slow start, Frias began establishing his jab and working his foe’s body with much success, eventually winning a unanimous decision by scores of 98-92 twice and 98-91 on the judges cards.
Afterwards Frias was congratulated by his gym stable mates who had made the trip down to show their support and he spent the rest of the night watching the evening’s remaining bouts from ringside. Frias was happy to have gotten the win but revealed that he had severely hurt his left hand in the contest, making the victory somewhat bittersweet.
With the win, Frias should be in line for some meaningful fights before the year is out. While not the most devastating puncher, the man known as ‘Devo’ is a fierce technician and will be a tough customer for nearly any fighter to handle. Frias showed up at Contender’s a week later and spoke with 8 Count News about his return to the ring, his early days as a fighter, and his overall love for the sport. In his own words, this is Damian Frias and the Art of War…
Back In the Ring…
“It felt real good being in the ring again. For the first couple of rounds I had to find myself. I felt that my distance wasn’t really there but once I got into the third and fourth round everything started coming back to me. Eventually I knew I would work my way into the fight. He tried to do a few different things in there but I felt I was the better fighter and I just stay calm, cool, and collected. I kept my composure and did what I was trained to do.”
A Little Bit of Everything…
“I try to bring a little bit of everything to the table. I can’t really just say one or two things that I am good at because I am trying to master all of my qualities. This sport is an art and maybe that’s why I’ve gotten so far in my career because I know that skill and intelligence beats pure strength.”
Walking into World Class Boxing…
“Honestly my main focus was to be a professional football player but I suffered a knee injury. I tore my ACL and I didn’t want to let go of the dream so I channeled it into something else. I just remember walking into a gym one day and asked myself if this was what I really wanted to do with myself. The gym was World Class Boxing, where Pat Burns was at with Jermain Taylor at the time. I got into it and I didn’t stop from there.”
Intense Atmosphere…
“The atmosphere was nice. At that time I was 25 years old. It was intense a little bit because I only had three amateur fights and then I turned pro. There were a lot of professional fighters, from Lamar Murphy to Jermain Taylor, Glen Johnson, Phil Jackson, Sherman Williams, and I was around professionals who were way ahead of me at that time. I definitely have learned a lot over the years, just thinking back to that time.”
Learning As You Go…
“Being in the gym around those guys I’ve learned that the tough guy doesn’t always win. You have to be very intelligent in this game. You have to respect your opponents accordingly and always learn as you go. It’s about learning the basics and working on your skills. You have to learn how to stick and move and how to block and counter punches. It’s more than just being tough and taking a punch.”
Working with Orlando Cuellar…
“I am the type of fighter who learns as much as I can, all the way from my first trainer to my current trainer. I try to learn a little bit of everything. When I was training in Miami my coach was Orlando Cuellar and I had a lot of fights with him. He showed me a lot of things and I learned a lot from him. I definitely realized how important my defense was through working with him.”
The Style of John David Jackson…
“John David Jackson is a totally different type of trainer. I have been in camps with him for a while and he has been able to add on to the previous things I learned from other trainers. John will tell you what to do but it’s up to the fighter to remain disciplined. You have to go and do your road work on your own. Your career is in your own hands and you really have to want it. John is more my style of trainer because he is southpaw just like I was and I liked to move and he was a mover as well. Basically a lot of the things he did when he was active are things that I do myself.”
The Promise Land…
“Right now my main concern is trying to see what happened with my X-Ray. I hurt my left hand in my fight and I have to make sure it is alright before I do anything else. If my X-Ray comes back negative then hopefully I will be back in the ring by March or April. By the end of the year I would like to be in the top 10 or 15 by the WBC and take things one fight at a time until I make my way to the promise land.”
Mastering the Art…
“Boxing is like the art of war because it’s all about tactics. You have to check out your opponent and studies what he is into. You have to study the type of fighter he is and determine if he is an aggressive guy or a finesse guy. You have to educate yourself in this game and find out your true strengths and weaknesses about your opponents. The art of war is knowing when to attack, when not to attack, when to stay aggressive, and when to back off. There is an art to this game and I am out to master the art.”
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