Nelson Oliva believes sparring a few of boxing’s finest fighters is useful to his growth within the sport.
Oliva will face Alfonso Olvera tonight at Thunder Studios in Lengthy Seashore, California. The eight-round bout will headline a six-bout New Blood card that may stream reside on Fubo Sports activities, FOX Deportes, Stadium, and Grey TV (9:30 p.m. ET/ 6:30 p.m. PT).
At Friday’s weigh-in, Oliva weighed in at 153.6 kilos. Olvera got here in at 153 kilos.
Oliva (11-0, 8 knockouts), who resides in Los Angeles, has had the fortune of not too long ago sparring IBF and WBO world unified world titleholder Janibek Alimkhanuly and middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz. The rounds of sparring have benefitted Oliva, even altering the psychological strategy to his fights.
“After I started working with Hamzah, I observed their strategy in the case of sparring,” Oliva instructed The Ring this previous week. “They actually know the way to tempo themselves and these are already 12-round fighters. I observed that within the caliber of sparring in comparison with different fighters I’ve gotten within the ring with.”
The 28-year-old Oliva is skilled by Henry Ramirez, who has additionally skilled within the likes of former world heavyweight Chris Arreola and welterweight Josesito Lopez.
Ramirez has seen Oliva’s skill-set enhance during the last couple of years, whether or not it’s the quantity of mitt work that’s performed within the health club or from sparring towards top-level fighters.
“Nestor is an excellent fighter,” Ramirez instructed The Ring earlier this week. “He’s low upkeep and a really humble man. You truly really feel such as you’re speaking to an grownup when talking to him. He’s a fairly good boxer. I feel he’s grown right into a pure boxer. He has numerous knockouts, however he has improved his skill-set lots. He has extra elusiveness. It’s one thing that he’ll present in a while. He has fluctuated between 154, 160 and 168 kilos, however he’s going to marketing campaign at 160 kilos.”
Oliva first started preventing on Thompson Boxing Promotion playing cards, which promoted battle playing cards in close by Ontario and Corona. The Normal Supervisor and matchmaker was Alex Camponovo, who now runs CBN Promotions since final 12 months.
The Olvera battle will mark Oliva’s second of this 12 months, however Oliva is grateful for the chance to battle on native playing cards in entrance of household and mates, together with creating as a fighter.
“I’ve been with Alex for the reason that starting of my profession,” stated Oliva, who made his professional debut in February 2021. “It’s been nice working with them. It retains me busy and I feel that’s an important factor about my profession. Holding busy and staying energetic, and simply preserve getting these fights. I need to enhance myself and enhance confidence in myself. My staff believes in me, and with the talents I’m studying, simply to be constant in my growth to go to the subsequent degree.”
Oliva want to battle as soon as extra this 12 months. Whether or not he does or not, Oliva believes 2025 might be a terrific 12 months for him, one the place he might stand out and assert himself as a legit prospect at 154 kilos.
“I truly imagine 2025 might be a terrific 12 months for me,” stated Oliva. “That is my first official battle as a junior middleweight. There’s numerous expertise in that division. There’s numerous fights for me that could possibly be made there.
“Something could possibly be subsequent after my battle towards Olvera. I’m open to all alternatives. I’m only a cellphone name away. I positively need to battle extra typically.”
In his final bout on March 30, Oliva defeated Franyerson Puerta by unanimous determination. In his earlier battle on November 4, Oliva outboxed Dario Meneses-Guerrero en path to a choice victory.
Olvera (13-8-3, 5 KOs), who’s initially from Nogales, Mexico and now resides in Tucson, Arizona, has not fought since a knockout win over Ousmane Sylla on Could 13 of final 12 months. Previous to the win over Sylla, over an 11-month span, the 34-year-old misplaced back-to-back fights towards Quinton Randall and Delonte Johnson.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has lined boxing in Southern California and overseas since 2000. Francisco additionally covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He could be reached at [email protected]
