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World Boxing Association welterweight champion Luis Collazo believes he is a true opportunist. To prove it, the 23-year old didn't flinch when offered the opportunity to fight for his first world championship on just three weeks notice when then-WBA champion Jose Antonio Rivera's pneumonia-stricken No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Thomas Damgaard pulled out.
"Opportunities like that don't come along very often in boxing," Collazo said. "That's why it's important to always be ready if that call does come." To make matters worse for Collazo, the April 2, 2005, match was scheduled in Rivera's hometown of Worcester, Mass. Regardless of the circumstances, Collazo's decision to take the fight proved to be a wise move. He went toe to toe with the champion for the full 12 rounds in what turned out to be a seesaw battle of wills. In the end, it was the challenger Collazo who answered every flurry and gave more than he took.
His preparedness paid off with a split-decision win. All three judges scored the fight 115-113-two of whom had it for Collazo (the judge who scored the fight for Rivera happened to be from Worcester). The new champion is a stylish southpaw who was introduced to boxing by his father, Fernando, an avid fan of the sweet science as most Puerto Ricans are. Luis started boxing at the age of 12 at Starrett City Boxing Club in Brooklyn, N.Y. He went on to win the 147-pound novice division in the prestigious New York Golden Gloves and added the open title two years later.
Luis qualified to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials (known as box-offs) in Tampa, Fla., and he finished among the top five in his class (Dante Craig was the U.S. Olympian at 147 pounds.). After posting a 97-7 amateur record, Collazo turned pro on May 16, 2000, with a first-round technical knockout over Jose Maldonado. Fighting mainly within the New York City metropolitan area, Luis reeled off 12 victories in a row to set the stage for his first high-profile fight on Aug. 4, 2001 on SHOWTIME's ShoBox boxing series.
After losing the first two rounds to Luis Alberto Santiago (7-1), Luis adjusted and took all the remaining frames to win an eight-round unanimous decision (78-74, 78-74, 78-75). He followed-up with a fourth-round TKO over Orlando Milian (14-4) and found himself back on ShoBox at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas on April 13, 2002. In his first 10-round match, Collazo suffered his first and only loss to as a pro to Edwin Cassiani (23-3). Cassiani scored with a four-punch combination in the third round, which clearly gained Collazo's attention. What Collazo did not expect was for referee Jay Nady to step in and wave off the action.
"Cassiani definitely landed some punches in the third round but I didn't go down," Collazo said. "As a matter of fact, I wasn't even staggered. To this day, I can't figure out why Nady felt like he had to stop that fight." Luis rebounded with seven straight wins. He was then matched against highly touted Puerto Rican islander Felix Flores (19-3). Collazo floored Flores twice, once in the second and again in the fifth, and easily took a unanimous 10-round decision (100-89, 97-90, 97-92). In his last appearance, Collazo was asked to face a ring legend in former longtime lightweight world champion Miguel Angel Gonzalez at the United Center in Chicago on Aug. 13.
"I was the world champion but I had never faced a legendary former champion in the ring," Collazo said. "When I knocked him out in the eighth round I felt like I had truly arrived and that a new star was born that night." Other boxing greats like Felix "Tito" Trinidad, Pernell "Sweet Pea" Whitaker, Edwin Rosario and Marvelous Marvin Hagler have been major influences on Collazo. Outside the ring, Collazo is a genuinely nice person with an infectious smile. He has a daughter, 3-year-old Khaylah. He is managed and trained by Nirmal Lorrick.
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