By Scott A. Melesky, Special to the Van Nuys News Press
Los Angeles is known as the city of stars and in the boxing ring get ready for another one coming soon. Straight out of Brooklyn, New York, Claude Staten Jr. is ready to make waves in the featherweight division. Although having an extremely brief amateur career, “Claudie Boy” has rocked the East Coast with appearances in the 2009 New York Golden Gloves and Golden Gloves Nationals.
Now ready to fulfill a lifelong goal, Staten Jr. is ready to take his unique New York boxing style to the West Coast with his professional boxing debut in the upcoming fall months. “It has been a dream of mine to train here,” Staten Jr. said. “The weather is great and you can train all year round. This is the best place to fight. It makes you more focused.” Staten Jr. has also been online with two YouTube videos highlighted by the “Future is Here” video. It shows his fast hand speed, lithe defensive moves, and powerful punches that define thisNew Yorknative’s boxing skills. “He is a very focused, determined, charismatic and flamboyant person,” Victoria Einem, Staten Jr’s public relations assistant said. “He has a professional fighting style and is ready for his first fight. He works and trains hard. He is fast, quick, sharp and moves extremely well. We are excited to see the outcome of his hard work so far.”
Staten Jr. is confident that his fighting skills will take the boxing world by storm. Flamboyance is the name of the game with him but his ring and hand speed back up his talk. In a recent amateur bout reported on by the New York Daily News, Staten Jr. sported black shorts with $400 Fox Fur sewn on to the edges of it. He also wore boxing shoes with fuzzy trim. “Being fromBrooklyn, I accumulated a lifetime of swag,” Staten Jr. said. “It gives you confidence and makes you a better fighter. It gives you the chance to be the best fighter you can be. A lot of great fighters like Mike Tyson have come from there. It is a popular place for sports and culture. It is a lot to live up to and you have to keep your confidence. I am a likeable guy but I demand respect because I give respect as well. I am greatness in the making.”
Currently training at the Fortune Gym in Hollywood under the tutelage of famed trainer Justin Fortune, Staten Jr. is ready to follow in the footsteps of past Fortune champion fighters including Tyson, Manny Pacquaio and Israel Vasquez. He also spends long hours studying the fights of the late Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Pernell Whitaker. “I am a real big fan of Pernell Whitaker, he was the best fighter ever in my opinion. He took defense to another level, “Staten Jr. said. “I loved his style. He had a great jab. I am also a big fan of Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard. They were great legends and had great power and conditioning.”
Staten Jr. is a student of the game but also is equally dedicated to his training in the gym. Staten Jr.’s training regimen includes running and alternating between four miles and two mile sprints each day. He follows up his cardiovascular training with strength conditioning including an hour of lifting free weights and working on his biceps, triceps, and abdominals. “I want to always challenge myself in my training,” Staten Jr. said. “Life should never be a cake-walk. I am getting a lot more experience and it is helping me also develop my pro style of fighting. I fight in a unique way. I am extremely fast with fast powerful hands.” Einem, who has been involved in boxing for almost a decade, has been impressed with what the 23 year old fighter has shown in training and in the boxing ring. “He has a great pedigree,” Einem said. “I have been involved in boxing over the past seven years and Claude has the “it” factor needed within this sport to make it. He is slick, fast, and has lots of power.”
Staten Jr. took up the sport at the age of 17, after playing basketball and track and field in junior high school. He has benefited from the training in his previous sports which has helped his focus and stamina. Raised by his grandparents Eleanor Farmer and Charles Staten, Claude saw his life spiral out of control after the death of his grandfather. After falling on some hard times, boxing became his resurrection in his life and got him back on track. “Boxing was my distraction from destruction”, Staten Jr. said. “I lost my way and got caught up in negative environments. I had to find something positive in my life and that would be boxing. Before boxing, I was a point guard on my school’s basketball team and also ran track and field. Both sports have helped me with my speed and conditioning but I really love boxing the best.”
Though self-confident in the ring, Staten Jr. is very humble outside it. Living in downtown Los Angeles and also from his experiences in Brooklyn, he has become a strong advocate in helping fight the growing homeless population that has grown across the country. His plans are to donate food to the homeless and to help fight this rising problem any way that he can. “I do over-stand not understand the homeless problem in LA. It really hurts my heart. I believe success is measured by how many people you bless. I want to help out, give back, buy food, and give back on the street. I am a very giving person.”
With his professional debut just months away, Staten Jr. is working hard and excited about showing off his skills to the boxing world. He said he is ready for the challenge that awaits him. “I am looking forward to my first fight (in the fall) and getting a shot to fulfill my dream,” Staten Jr. said. “I am 100 % positive and I am very inspired for the fight. I have made mistakes in life but have totally turned myself around. I am working hard and learning every day.”