Casal’s success in the world of boxing is a family affair
Dad will be in his corner Friday for main-event bout
Published: November 01, 2009, 12:30 am
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NIAGARA FALLS — Ray Casal has been in his son’s corner throughout his life.
That’s his job.
The role of protector comes with being a father, as well as head boxing trainer.
It’s among the reasons Casal believes he was pushed into the background at the behest of one of his son’s former boxing managers, even though he and Nick Casal have quite the successful in-ring track record. It’s a record they’re working toward improving once again.
Casal is again balancing the jobs of father and head trainer as he and his son prepare for their second fight together in five months Friday night in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, where Nick Casal (19-4-1, 15 KOs) will fight in the 10-round main event against veteran Christopher Fernandez (18-7-1, 11 KOs) in a junior welterweight bout.
That’s one of seven fights scheduled for the evening. The co-feature bout is Meacher Major- Dorin Spivey for the NABA lightweight title. Unbeaten Buffalo light featherweight Guillermo Sanchez (10-0, 5 KOs) fights Jose Guzman for the New York State championship. Journeymen junior welterweights Geoffrey Spruiell (8-7) of Denver meets Broderick Antoine (7-8) of New York, while Buffalo prospects Lionell Thompson (1-0), Excell Holmes (1-0) and Greg Brady (0-0) also are scheduled to appear on the card.
But when Nick Casal makes the walk to the ring in his black and gold apparel, a familiar sight will be there by his side and more importantly not as a cut man. Ray Casal will be in his corner barking out orders, offering strategic tips and reprising his role of master motivator.
“I’m happy about it,” Ray Casal said of being back in control of his son’s physical and mental training. “He’s been doing well back here. He hasn’t had the distractions [like he did before moving to Las Vegas, and while living in Vegas]. They start to understand there’s mortality in the sport. He’s in his mid-20s and realizes he has to do something or get ready to move on and get a new job. . . . He’s strong and still has a lot in him. He’s skilled.”
Casal would know. He’s been training his 23-year-old son since he was 5, except for a two-year stretch from 2007 until earlier this year, when Nick Casal decided it would be best if Ray wasn’t large and in charge. Casal had been pressured by his former manager, Shelly Finkel, to make a switch early in his career but resisted until after he suffered his first loss and was no longer represented by Finkel. Nick Casal said Wednesday he felt he needed to change things up at the time.
He now realizes that was a bad move.
“We know how to work with each other,” said Casal, who is 16-1-1 as a pro with his father as head trainer. “We know how to push each other’s buttons. He knows me like a book. He knows how to get me [ticked] off to get me going.”
Before the professional separation, Casal lost just one of his first 17 professional fights. He won 81 of 89 amateur fights, including 54 via knockout at a level where all boxers wear headgear. He captured the World Under-19 title as a 17-year-old and only a shoulder injury suffered during a quarterfinal win at the U. S. Nationals derailed his quest of representing his country in the 2004 Olympics.
“They don’t like fathers in the first place training in the pros because we have too much control,” Ray Casal said. “A father is always looking out to protect his son and may be a little more cautious and give advice they don’t like.”
Father-and-son relationships haven’t always gone too smoothly in the ring, which is another reason managers and promoters sometimes frown upon having father trainers in influential positions in their camps.
“They’re very, very emotional,” said Nick Garone, Nick Casal’s promoter. “I’ve been involved in a relationship like that in the past where it wasn’t a good healthy one. But in this particular situation, I really feel it’s a very calming and very, very good influence in Nick’s life right now, and I think everybody involved has Nick’s best interest at heart starting at the top with Ray. I endorse that 100 percent.”
While Nick Casal worked with three other trainers, including former world light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa — who has worked with former world champions James Toney and Iran Barkley, and learned some stuff from each — he never reached his maximum potential with them in his corner and went 4-3 with his father reduced to glorified cheerleader.
“I don’t get the business sometimes,” said Nick Casal, who returned his father to the head trainer role in his camp once his management deal with Chicago-based Saul Rodriguez expired last winter. “They always want you to work with their guys, their trainers. I agreed with it at the time, but now I’m just doing what I want to do.”
The Casals returned with a vengeance June 19 when Nick pummeled Shad Howard in the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in earning a three-round TKO triumph. But that’s just the first step in the comeback.
Professional boxing is known as prize fighting for a reason. It’s to get paid, and only the best can make a comfortable living in the sport. It’s something Ray Casal has told his son on more than one occasion during many a training session.
Nick Casal’s fight Friday night is another step he needs to take toward proving that he still has the goods to become a title contender. It won’t be easy.
The 33-year-old Fernandez has fought two world-class boxers in the past calendar year. He lost last December to current WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander. He lost in April to former IBF light welterweight champion Paul Malignaggi via unanimous decision in eight rounds.
“At this stage of the game, Casal has to beat those guys,” Garone said.
And if for some reason, Nick no longer has the goods to become a champion, he’ll know it.
“I won’t let this kid get hurt,” Ray Casal said. “If he doesn’t have the desire anymore, and I haven’t seen that yet, then we’ll move on. He’s got to have the desire to get to the top because that’s the only reason you box, to get paid and to become a champion. If you settle into the fact I’m never going to be a champion, you just become an opponent.
“It’s up to me to keep his head right.”
mrodriguez@buffnews.com
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