WBC Jr. Featherweight Champion Willie Jorrin makes his first title 
 defense  on January 19th against top ranked Oscar Larios.  The fight 
 will take place in Jorrin’s hometown of Sacramento, CA.  I caught up 
 with Willie after a training session to talk about the upcoming fight 
 and his plans for the future.






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 Interview by: Marc Lichtenfeld

 Lichtenfeld: What do you know about your opponent?  He seems like a banger.

 Jorrin: Yeah. Oscar Larios, he’s the #1 contender.  This is a mandatory fight.  
         I’m looking at a tough, durable Mexican opponent.  I know he comes, he’s a 
         straight forward fighter.  Got a little height on him.  I’m just looking for a 
         tough, durable fighter in front of me on Friday night

 Lichtenfeld: Have you been watching tapes of him?

 Jorrin: Yes.  We’ve watched a few fights of his.  The guys he fought, had no feet so 
         they just stood in front of him and took everything he had.  They really showed 
         no movement and how if they did move it would probably frustrate him.  That’s 
         what my game plan is, to use movement and totally take away his ability to move  
         forward.

 Lichtenfeld: Does his power concern you at all?

 Jorrin: Not at all.  At ’22 my power is more devastating than a lot of other fighters 
         out there at 122.

 Lichtenfeld: What does it mean to you to be fighting in your hometown for your 
              first defense?

 Jorrin: Oh man, it’s just a great feeling that I can have this first defense in my 
         hometown.  It’s been 5 years since the last world title defense was here.  So 
         it’s just a good feeling to bring a world title back to Sacramento and fight in 
         front of my hometown crowd.

 Lichtenfeld: What about fighting on national TV? The fight will be on ESPN2.

 Jorrin: Just to get my name out there more and to show everyone that Willie Jorrin is a 
         top fighter in this fight game right now at Jr. Featherweight.  I just hope 
         everyone will get a chance to check this one out so they can see what I have.

 Lichtenfeld: There was some controversy surrounding the fight against Michael Brodie 
              when you won the title.  Do you feel like you have to have a great 
              performance and prove it to the fans that you’re the champion?

 Jorrin: There was no controversy.  I went to this guy’s hometown and I pulled off a
         great victory over there.  There were fans there that knew I won. There was 
         rumblings in the crowd because their guy lost.  The controversy was more or less 
         that I beat their guy.   (Laughs) We actually had a tape, a lot of people have 
         seen it and saw me pull this victory off.

 Lichtenfeld: Any chance of a rematch with Brodie?

 Jorrin: Most definitely.  They rated him #2.  So, heck yeah!  I’d give him another 
         shot.  On my terms and hopefully in my home town and I’ll prove again the same 
         thing that I did over there.  Another victory.

 Lichtenfeld: Who else would you like to fight?

 Jorrin: I’d like a shot at the Prince (Naseem Hamed), at 126.   There’s so many good 
         fighters out there right now that could produce a lot of big money fights.      
         That’s what I’m looking forward to, bigger and better fights.  But first of all, 
         I’m not looking past Oscar Larios this Friday night.  I get this one over with 
         and then it’s on to better and better opponents.

 Lichtenfeld: Do you feel you’re ready to take on a Barrera or Hamed?

 Jorrin: Oh most definitely.  I’m ready.  I was ready 3 years ago to be a world 
         champion.  It took a long time to get where I’m at.  I beat guys in the top 10 
         three years ago.  Enrique Jupiter, I actually had him knocked out.  Literally 
         dropped him 3 times in the fight. I ended up winning a decision.  Then a month 
         later he went on to fight for the IBF world title in South Africa against 
         Bungu.  And they say he beat Bungu but they gave it to Bungu for a hometown  
         decision.  So since then I’ve been waiting my turn.  Finally when it came, I had 
         to go overseas and do it.  I was more than willing to do it.  It took forever to 
         get there so I wasn’t going to pass that chance up.  So, I’m looking for whoever 
         are the top champions out there.  So just bring it on.  Let’s do it.  I’m ready.

 Lichtenfeld: What do you consider your biggest weapon in the ring?

 Jorrin: I have an excellent right hand and body shot.  I can just pull off everything, 
         with my boxing ability.  Whatever it takes with an opponent, I adapt and do what 
         needs to be done to perform and win the fight.  I have it all in one package.
         With my trainer Freddie Roach, he brings out the best in me.

 Lichtenfeld: If you were fighting Willie Jorrin, what would you do to counter 
            those strengths?

 Jorrin: Oh man, I’d watch out for his right hand (Laughs)

 Lichtenfeld: What do you need to improve on?

 Jorrin: I’d like to pick up a lot more combinations.  I tend to pace myself pretty 
         good, but I’d like to pick up the pace a little more.  I like to move around and 
         take my shots when I should be picking up the pace.  That’s what we’ve been  
         working on.  So everything seems to be working right now as we’re planning this 
         upcoming fight.

 Lichtenfeld: Is this strictly a business for you or are you a fan of the sport as well?

 Jorrin: I like to watch other boxers.  But I’m a family man.  I’ve got 2 children and a 
         wife.  This is a business.  I’m looking to get these big money fights out of the
         way and I’d like to move on to some other business also.  I’m opening a boxing 
         center for kids.  I’m looking into putting time into helping kids after my  
         career, into a functioning boxing program.

 Lichtenfeld: Is the gym up and running?

 Jorrin: I already have the facility.  All I need is to get the licensing and the 
         insurance and we’ll be ready to go.

 Lichtenfeld: So is this a business or is it for the community?

 Jorrin: It’s for the kids.  But business-wise for the adults who want to come in, work 
         out and train, yeah it’s a business also.  But mostly to give back to the youth 
         in my community because there isn’t a boxing program in the town where I live.  
         That’s how I began boxing so I always figured when I grew up and made it into 
         the big time that I would give back.  That was always what I wanted, to give 
         back to the kids in the community.

 Lichtenfeld: You come from a large family...

 Jorrin: I’m 4th from the youngest of 10 kids.

 Lichtenfeld: So what has it meant to them to have a world champion in the family?

 Jorrin: They’re so happy about it.  They know all the dedication and hard work I’ve put 
         into my career.  They love it.  They follow me and support me and its one big 
         happy family.

 Lichtenfeld: Finally, anything you want to say to boxing fans that are reading this 
              interview?

 Jorrin: When they hear Willie Jorrin, turn that tube on and don’t turn the channel.  
         They’ll see a good performer out there who will show them some good skills and 
         the real art of boxing.  And much love to all the fans that I do have already.


 Writer’s note: Willie Jorrin is certainly one of the “nice guys” in this sport.  Despite 
                not earning Princely sums of money, he has already started giving 
                something back to his commnity.  He seemed completely relaxed, confident  
                and genuinely happy to be in the position he’s in.  I know boxing often  
                needs both, good guys and bad guys to escalate the drama.  But it wouldn’t
                hurt to have a few more Willie Jorrins.


 My thanks to Marty Mulcahey and Freddie Roach for helping to arrange this interview.