Jason Quigley will be looking to maintain his unbeaten start to his professional career as he returns to the ring on Thursday night to take on Joshua Snyder in a middleweight bout in California.
The fight, which takes place at the Fantasy Springs Casino, will be Quigley’s sixth professional encounter and the Donegal man will be looking to take his pro record to 6-0.
Quigley fought twice in March and is looking to stay busy as the Snyder fight will be his third encounter in eight weeks and the former world silver medallist admits that it is something that he is used from his amateur days.
“I like to keep busy,” Quigley told The Ring Magazine’s digital YouTube channel.
“That is what I was used to as an amateur. I was in the ring every weekend. At the world championships I had five fights in seven days, so it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
“So it’s actually a bit of a break when I fight two weeks later compared to what I was used to. Of course the fights finished early as well so everything is looking good so far.”
Quigley’s latest opponent is a step-up in class from his early fights and while Snyder has lost his last five fights, the American has shared the ring with middleweight contender Matt Korobov, albeit five years ago, where he lost on a unanimous decision.
“My last fight was in Fantasy Springs as well; it’s a beautiful venue. I’m really looking forward to getting back in the ring and doing my thing again.”
And the Donegal native is settling in to his new life in LA under the stewardship of Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy stable.
“It’s a dream come through. As a young kid, sitting at home with my father watching Marco Antonio Barrera and Prince Naseem Hamed on television. Barrera showed him no respect and got the win. That’s what got it for me in boxing. That was in the MGM Grand and my first fight was in the MGM Grand and that was mind-blowing.
"The way to stop a train is to work the engine" - Jason Quigley
“But now everything is starting to settle down out here and everything is becoming more routine and more normal for me.
“Everyone thinks I'm out here living the dream. I am living the dream, but 90% of the time I'm in the gym, and the other 10% I’m getting my rest and food right and getting ready for the next training session.”
And Quigley admits that he is still learning and will be looking at this weekend’s big fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, hoping to pick up some new moves, learning from the best in the business.
“Mayweather and Pacquiao are the guys that we are looking at. Not to copy, but to pick up some things that we can add to our armoury to help us advance in our career.”
Another boxer who has helped Quigley adjust to the professional game is current WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee.
“I have the utmost respect for Andy. When I turned professional I got in touch and he said ‘here’s my phone number. Call me. Anything you need to know.’ He’s an absolute gentleman who just wants to help.
"He’s had a lot of ups and downs, but he kept his focus and got that world title. And he got a draw (with Peter Quillin), a guy who was undefeated and never been dropped, and he dropped him.”
And looking at the state of the current middleweight division, Quigley is looking at the best, Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto, and trying to work them out before meeting them somewhere down the line.
“Golovkin and Cotto are the names that are standing out and these are the guys that I am looking at. These guys are where I want to get to. And hopefully one day I will get to share the ring with them.
“Golovkin is the most feared fighter out there. He’s like a train and the way to stop a train is to work the engine and pull things out of it and the other way to stop a train is to meet it head on.
"You need to meet Golovkin. He’s a come-forward fighter so you have to hit him and hurt him and make him think twice about keep coming forward. But nobody has solved the problem yet."
And while Quigley is staying below the radar as he learns his trade in Los Angeles, he took time to remind the folks back home that he was thinking of them all and thanked them for their support.
“I’m over here in LA, but I’m fighting for everyone back home in Donegal. My fans, my friends and my loved ones so keep following me.”
