ITRBoxing caught up with Jason Quigley, a seasoned fighter with a big fight on the horizon against Edgar Berlanga tonight. His focused mentality and years of experience shine through, as does his surprising enthusiasm for being the away fighter. So, how does a professional boxer ready himself for such a big fight? Jason was eager to dive in.
“Brilliant, everything went great,” Quigley responds when asked about his training camp. “It was a good, tough, solid training camp and we’re just easing into fight week now.”
Then we dive deeper into the psyche of the away fighter. How does it feel to step into a ring filled predominantly with the opponent’s supporters? “I really like it,” Quigley confesses.
Quigley’s approach to boxing is shaped by his amateur career, fighting in foreign territories, and his knack for embracing unfamiliar environments. “I’ve done it throughout my whole amateur career, going to Kazakhstan, going to Russia, fighting in Europeans World Championships,” he shares. “There’s no pressure on me whatsoever. The pressure is on Edgar. It’s his Matchroom debut, in front of his home crowd. He’s got to get in there and put on a show, whereas I gotta get in there and just shock everybody. Nobody’s really expecting it, so it’s going to be brilliant.”
Beyond The Ring: Quigley’s Growth
Away from the glaring lights and the clamoring crowd, Quigley maintains a keen focus on improving himself. His work after the Andrade fight has been all about polishing his strengths. “I’ve just been working on being the best version of me,” he says, suggesting a boxing philosophy that is as much about personal growth as it is about winning fights.
Quigley doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the significance of his upcoming fight. He agrees when I suggest it’s a ‘Crossroads Fight’, a match that could change the course of his career. “Of course, either man wins this fight we know the opportunities that lie ahead,” he states, alluding to the immense pressure.
In the lead-up to the fight, Quigley offered his analysis of Berlanga’s evolution as a fighter. “He starts out with all these quick knockouts, then as he comes up against competition, it sort of tapers off, the progression sort of plateaus.” He speculates whether Berlanga has been fighting better opponents or if there’s something else afoot. “He hasn’t looked sensational, he hasn’t looked like the big star that everybody’s putting him up to be. But that’s for him to deal with.”
Confidence and Goals
Quigley exudes confidence when asked if he is the best opponent Berlanga has faced. “100% I’m the best he’s been up against. He hasn’t come across anybody like me and he’s going to see all about that on Saturday night.”
And what’s next for Quigley if he wins? “When I win this fight, my beautiful wife April and I will head away on our honeymoon. Whatever’s next will take care of itself. But first and foremost right now, take care of business Saturday night.”
