Ruben Torres Faces Toughest Challenge of his Career on Friday Night

ORANGE, Calif.: Rising lightweight Ruben Torres (9-0, 7 KOs) makes his headlining debut against veteran Ruben Tamayo (27-13-4, 18 KOs) this Friday, July 26, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Thompson Boxing caught up with Torres and got his take on facing the veteran Tamayo in his main event debut, how he handles life as a college student and full-time boxer and how he prepared for his first eight-round fight.

Your opponent, Ruben Tamayo, has been in with some big names. He fought for a world title against Jesus Cuellar. He went the distance against former world champion Jhonatan Romero, plus has seen a host of top prospects. On paper, he’s the toughest fighter you’ve faced so far. What are your thoughts on him?

“Tamayo is a seasoned veteran who still has a lot of fight left in him. I expect he’s going to give me a lot of different looks and different angles. I’ll be ready for any antics too. I’ll need to have my head on a swivel because he has a lot of experience to lean on.”

Friday’s “New Blood” main event will be the first for you as a headlining attraction. How are you approaching this next step in your career?

“It’s a different type of pressure because all eyes are on you to perform. That’s the main difference. My promoter expects big things from me and I expect to deliver. In terms of training and mental preparation, it’s just another day at the office. My dedication to the sport is always there no matter who I’m fighting.”

This is your first fight at eight rounds and it is against a southpaw. What, if anything, did you do differently in training camp?

“We stressed being patient. I can’t focus on one punch or thinking about a knockout. I sparred 10 rounds to make sure my cardio is at the level it needs to be. I got some great sparring with lefties like Isaac Zarate and Anthony Sanchez, who is fighting on this card. Isaac was super helpful because he throws punches from odd angles. I also sparred with Michael Dutchover, one of my stablemates. He’s always tough and ready for anything.”

You initially went to college at San Francisco State, but transferred after one year to Cerritos College in the Los Angeles area. How are you managing your full-time education with your boxing career?

“It’s actually not as difficult as it seems because I’m in school year round. For instance, I’m taking a statistics class right now in the summer. That allows me to take less of a course load in the Fall or Spring, which opens up more time to train. I think managing both at the same time has helped me stick to a schedule and has led to a more organized lifestyle.”

Roberto Villa

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.