"El Mago '' Joshua Juarez of Laredo returned to the ring in his hometown after a more than two-year layoff in sensational fashion. Moving up to heavyweight for the first time in his career, Juarez scored a sensational first-round knockout out of veteran Randy McCarty. It was exactly what you would want from a prospect returning from a prolonged layoff. Juarez described the scene "It felt great after being away from the ring... I didn't feel any ring rust. We had a good crowd in Laredo."
It was the first time since 2018 that the Gateway City native fought in front of his hometown fans. He was more than excited to be back in front of his native Laredoans. An opportunity he jumped at " Perfect! Let's get it." Juarez exclaimed when informed of the opportunity by his manager, Lamont Roach Sr. He admitted he did have some nerves " I thank God, He blessed me with fighting in Laredo. I had a little Jitters to see how it was fighting at heavyweight."
If the 25-year-old had jitters, they didn't last long as McCarty didn't make it out of the first round. " I wanted to impress in my first fight back. I wanted a knockout. I expected him to go all six rounds. This guy had 11 professional fights... He had 50-something or 60-something MMA fights. You know those guys are built tough. They take kicks. knees, elbows to the face." A victorious El Mago said about his comeback fight.
It was everything you would want in a comeback fight and Juarez gives a large share of the credit to longtime friend and new trainer Alex Rincon. Rincon, a 27-year-old undefeated junior middleweight prospect, who hails from the Dallas area, worked the corner of Juarez. A first for Rincon, but something the young Dallasite excelled at, and it appears to be a match made in heaven. The two were roommates at the National Golden Gloves when they both represented Texas. Juarez said he plans on keeping Rincon in his corner in future fights " Alex gives me the work with strength and conditioning. It was good having him with me mentally and physically. He's not only a boxing trainer, but he does strength and conditioning as well, and those were tough."
In addition to Rincon, Juarez had Light heavyweight/super middleweight contender Eddie Ortiz in his corner. Ortiz's dad served as the cutman. Additionally, fellow Laredo native and 2021 breakthrough prospect Jorge Castaneda accompanied Juarez ringside. It was a who's who of young upcoming Texas fighters in El Mago's corner that got Juarez through a bit of nerves about fighting at heavyweight. Juarez got over the nerves pretty quickly saying "Once you know you can take the pop you're good." Juarez had previously campaigned at the light heavyweight limit of 175-pounds. He weighed 228 for his heavyweight debut, and McCarty tipped the scales at 240. Juarez plans on moving down to cruiserweight shortly saying " I always said I could drop back down to light heavyweight... When this year started, I looked back at it, I looked really skinny. The pop didn't feel the same in the amateurs and fighting at 178. I felt ok, but when I fought at 201, I was actually stopping people. I was walking around at one-ninety-something. I was stopping people and winning more at that weight. Maybe cruiserweight is the weight for me and I will stick at that weight."
Cruiserweight seems to be a perfect fit for the south Texan. He will sport amazing hand speed in the division and will still carry pop at the weight class. At 25 years old he has also filled out to full-blown cruiserweight. He won't look overweight or underweight he explained. Juarez plans on fighting once more in 2022, hopefully in late October or early November, before the holidays, but has to get with Roach, his manager, and iron out all those details. He said he plans on fighting at maybe "210 or 215 pounds" and that the layoff weight is "coming off slowly but surely."
Despite the layoff, Juarez remained sharp and said he is walking around at 229-pounds just a pound over where he fought on July 30th. He is staying in shape and on weight for a hopeful quick turnaround as he looks to get back to where he was before the pandemic layoff. That's an emerging prospect. Juarez aptly described his journey so far " Its a long road but looking back at its short road. I've been to camps in California, DC, Mexico, Dallas, Austin." he said and added he's still young and learning " It's true what they say, in boxing, you never stop learning. I am still learning. I am still young in the sport, very young actually."
Juarez, among others like Castaneda and top-ranked women's amateur standout Jennifer Lozano, has led the surge of boxing in the Gateway City. The Gateway City is quickly becoming not just one of the top hot spots for boxing in Texas. It is becoming one of the premier boxing hotspots anywhere in the country. Something Juarez is excited to be a part of "I am a hometown kid! ... I love Laredo. All I do is support Laredo things, businesses, boxers, fighters, etc. Laredo is getting up there, and to be a part of it makes me happy." It certainly is, and a healthy, sharp, and active Juarez could realistically become the first cruiserweight champion from Laredo in the not so distance future.