Giuriceo meets Clark tonight for Ohio jr. welterweight belt


Jake Giuriceo meets Michael Clark tonight for the Ohio junior welterweight belt

By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

struthers

Fit, focused and 15 minutes late — which qualifies as early in boxing — newly-married boxer Jake Giuriceo arrived at the new Burnside Boxing Club on Wednesday to train for tonight’s Ohio super lightweight bout against Michael Clark in Columbus.

Tonight’s bout is Giuriceo’s first fight since his wedding and while he’s still in the honeymoon period with his wife, Giuriceo and his longside trainer, Keith Burnside, have been together long enough to sound like an old married couple.

For instance, after someone joked about Burnside’s widows peak, starter mullet (“I need a haircut, like tomorrow,” Burnside said) and asked where his gold chains were, Burnside answered, “I got rid of them. Gold’s out now, I think.”

“Yeeaaaaaaah,” Giuriceo said, rolling his eyes.

“Shut up, Jake,” Burnside said. “You should see his gold chains.”

“If he’s on his way to a wedding, he’s got gold chains on with his silky shirt,” Giuriceo said. “And his hamburger meat [chest hair] is hanging out in the front.”

The two cracked up, then Giuriceo finished tying his shoes, climbed into the ring and started shadowboxing to a Christian rap album.


As always, Giuriceo enters tonight’s bout in terrific shape. He worked out every day of his honeymoon in May — he did something called the BandIt Body workout — and Burnside said they’ve trained harder for this fight than any other.

“I don’t have to worry about Jake,” Burnside said. “I don’t have to worry about him drinking or smoking. He’s a good kid. And he’s got heart.”

Giuriceo (16-0-1, 3 KOs), who hasn’t fought since April 28, will make his first appearance in Columbus, Clark’s hometown. Giuriceo weighed 140 pounds at Friday’s weigh-in, while Clark was 1401/2.

The 39-year-old Clark (42-7-1, 18 KOs) has lost two of his last three fights and, Burnside admits, “he’s on his way down.”

“But he’s still got fight in him,” Burnside said. “He’s got a lot of fight in him yet. He’s great for Jake.

“One thing about Michael Clark, he’ll try to frustrate you. He knows how to win rounds. He knows what to do. He’s slick. He’s just an experienced fighter.”

Clark (aka “Cold Blood”) once held the IBC and NABF lightweight titles and started his career 24-0 before losing to Artur Grigorian in a WBO lightweight title bout in 1999. In 2006, he was featured on the second season of ESPN’s reality show “The Contender,” losing to Cornelius Bundrage in his first and only bout.

“I know he’s been in the ring with a lot of different guys but he’s never been in the ring with somebody like me,” said Giuriceo, whose nickname, “The Bull,” also describes his fighting style. “I keep constant pressure and fight for three straight minutes and hopefully that will make the difference in the fight.

“This is my first fight since I’ve been married but I feel like I’ve worked harder since I got married. I got her in my corner now. My wife supports me, no problem. And I’m that much stronger with her by my side.”


Giuriceo, 27, has a rabid local following but it remains frustratingly local. Fourteen of his first 15 fights were within 90 minutes of the city, which is one reason why he traveled to California in March to fight Jaime Orrantia. The other, bigger reason is that 31/2 years after turning pro, Giuriceo is still looking for a promoter.

“There’s gonna be a few promoters [in Columbus], so hopefully something will work out,” Burnside said.

Giuriceo, a strong Christian, said he’s leaving it in the “Lord’s hands.”

“It’s got me this far,” he said. “We’ve had a great career and I’m stepping up [in competition] every time I fight, climbing the ladder, moving through the rankings.

“It’s not really a big deal to me [to not have a promoter]. Eventually something will come along. I’m just patiently waiting.”

If Giuriceo wins tonight, and avoids any major cuts or injuries, he’s hoping to get back on an Aug. 18 card at Mountaineer promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (He was dropped when he accepted the Clark bout because it came too close to the Mountaineer card.)

“If I’m healthy, I want to stay active,” Giuriceo said. “There’s no sense in not fighting when I’m healthy. I don’t want to fight until I’m 40 years old. I’d like to get it in now.

“Lord willing, one day I’ll be able to retire and move on to something else with my life.”

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