Training Camp Check-In: Brian Ceballo

This Thursday night, live from the Wild Card Boxing Gym in L.A, Ring City USA is back with their second televised event. The headliner features Junior Middleweight Brandon Adams (21-3) going up against Sonny Duversonne (11-2-2).

The Co-Main event features welterweight prospect Brian Ceballo (11-0) going up against Larry Gomez (10-1). This fight will take place in the always interesting welterweight division and boxing is looking to add to the fresh crop of fighters who will be the future of the division.

Insert Brian Ceballo, who was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City. Brian Ceballo turned Pro in 2018 while adding managerial powerhouse Split T and signing to Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions. (Read his NyFights Intro HERE)

Coming fresh off of an impressive third round knockout of Ramal Amanov (16-1) in October 2019, Brian will be stepping in the ring after a 14 month layoff due to the pandemic.

I checked in with Brian days before his return to the ring to see what he has been up to and how he is feeling after a long layoff.

AG: Brian, How have you been? What has 2020 been like for you as a fighter under an independent promotional company?

BC: 2020 has been a tough year for everyone across the entire world. Not just for boxers and athletes but everyone. I had some personal issues that went on and I’m grateful that I still have my health and family around me. The gym is what kept me sane through it all. I was able to stay in the gym with my coach Colin Morgan throughout the entire pandemic which I’m grateful for as well.

AG: What did you do to occupy your time in 2020?

BC: To be honest, I was playing video games a lot and even built my own gaming PC. I built the PC to also edit videos as it is kind of a like a hobby of mine. I actually had a bit of work through the video editing which is another reason why I built the PC. I’ve been doing it since I was about thirteen years old. I also own a gym down by the World Trade Center in New York called Bout Fight Club.

AG: For this training camp, where was it held, and have you made any changes to your team or did you keep it the same?

BC:  Training camp was in NY at my gym which is where I have been training throughout the pandemic. It’s just been mainly me and my coach throughout the pandemic. That’s really the only person I have been working with other then the person who helps me with my weight cut. She is from New Mexico and her name is Dr. Anita Delpri and she has been amazing throughout this whole camp.

Photo by Ray Montalvo

AG: You are fighting Larry Gomez on Thursday. What do you know about him?

BC: Larry Gomez is a great fighter, and he is coming in strong minded. He is not coming in to fold over from one or two punches. He is going to come strong for the whole duration of the fight so I’m going to have to stay focused. It’s going to be a great matchup between the two of us. It’s even a greater matchup as it is going to be for the WBO Intercontinental title on NBC Sports.

AG: You’ve fought on some pretty big cards early in your career. Does fighting on a nationally televised platform feel any different?

BC: No, I think fighting on national television is an honor and a privilege. I say it’s a privilege because we worked our way up to be on this stage. It’s more so a component and an asset to us.

AG: Not looking past Larry Gomez but as a fighter, you must have someone or a few people in mind that you want to target in the near future. Who are those guys?

BC: We are going to start looking at the bigger names that have fought or held a world title like Amir Khan, Sergey Lipinets and Keith Thurman. They are credible and have great experience so we would match great with them.

AG: Do you think late next year will be the time to go after a world title?

BC: If the opportunity is there, we will take it because that is what we are working towards. For now, we are climbing up the ranks little by little while gaining experience. Like I said before, it would be great to fight those names out there because they have been on that platform before and it would be great to get tested against those guys.

AG: What can fans expect on Thursday who have never seen a Brian Ceballo fight?

BC:  Fans should expect a clean fight and someone who is smart and calculated in the ring. They should also expect someone who is quick, slick, can punch & move and a very diverse fighter.

AG: Where can fans follow you on social media as you pursue your dreams of getting a world title?

BC: You can follow me on Twitter @brianceballo and on Instagram @brianceballo. Also wanted to mention that for this fight I am being sponsored by Boss by Hugo Boss.

My Three Cents:

I have had the pleasure of seeing Brian Ceballo fight here in Southern California and he checks off all of the boxes when it comes to a quality prospect. Brian is a very smart fighter who knows how to make the proper adjustments in the ring. That’s a quality that not all fighters have and it will pay dividends in the future for him.

Brian Ceballo is a name who you will see more of in 2021 and don’t be surprised if his opportunity for a title comes a lot sooner than expected.

You can follow me on twitter @abeg718 and follow @nyfights on Instagram.