![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/rivera1-300x297.jpg\")
<\/a>It seems only appropriate that undefeated cruiserweight Richie \u201cPopeye The Sailor Man\u201d Rivera (18-0, 13 KOs) has found a new home in Orlando (FL), although his heart remains in his native Hartford (CT), since he followed his partner\/head trainer Tony Blanco there nearly six months ago,<\/p>\n\u201cI recently went to Universal Studios and it\u2019s definitely Popeye-friendly,\u201d the charismatic Rivera reported. \u201cThey had Popeye rides, souvenirs and novelties. I felt like it\u2019s my part of town.\u201d <\/p>\n
Due to financial strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hartford Boxing Center (HBC) was closed by the state March 15 and it never reopened. Blanco and his family traveled south to the Sunshine State, where he opened the Orlando Boxing Club (OBC at 7335 Lake Underhill Road in Orlando, Florida). Soon after \u201cPopeye\u201d packed his bags and joined Blanco.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe business was bleeding, and I have a family to support,\u201d Blanco explained. \u201cWe\u2019ve more or less brought Hartford Boxing Center to Orlando, where there are so many opportunities for us. It is what it is, there was no other way to survive. We\u2019ve turning a negative into a positive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a cool ride alongside the Hartford community. We were sad to announce the Hartford Boxing Center had closed its doors. We are deeply indebted to Hartford for giving us the opportunity to meet such a loving community that made us feel like family. We will miss each and every one there and, hopefully, we left our legacy there in good standing with everyone. We hope everybody stays safe, healthy and continues their goals and dreams The fight continues!\u201d<\/p>\n
Florida\u2019s weather alone has advantages over Connecticut, in addition to no state tax, and \u201cPopeye\u201d has taken full advantage as he marches towards the top of the cruiserweight division.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve taken it all in,\u201d he commented. \u201cDown here I\u2019m able to run in weather when it isn\u2019t freezing or in the snow, although that did make me more of an animal. But it was harder training in Hartford and there are so many reasons not to run and train there. Not in Orlando where I have nothing but quality runs and workouts. I get solid sparring here in Orlando with partners who have different styles and I EVEN went over to the gym owned by my idol, Roy Jones, Jr., in Pensacola.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s especially difficult being here during the pandemic with so many of my family and friends back in Hartford. I\u2019m still showed a lot of love back there where I have my roots. Florida is awesome, but I still have a lot of living left, so we\u2019ll need to wait to see what\u2019s ahead for me in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Rivera and Blanco found a strong ally and friend in Hall of Famer Christy Martin, who is now a boxing promoter in Florida and North Carolina. Rivera\u2019s last fight was this past August 15th in Daytona Beach (FL) on a Martin-promoted card, in which he knocked out Ryan Soft in the opening round.<\/p>\n
\u201cPopeye\u201d is scheduled to fight on her February 12th show in Orlando against veteran Mexican fighter Ulises \u201cEl Cirillo\u201d Jimenez (24-26-1, 18 KOs) in an 8-round featured bout.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be the fifth time I\u2019ve fought on one of her cards,\u201d Rivera noted. \u201cShe\u2019s awesome. Boxing is a little cutthroat, but I felt comfortable with Christy right away. She doesn\u2019t need to have me fighting on her cards. I\u2019m blessed to have her continue to watch after me. I\u2019m also blessed to have a promoter like Joe DeGuardia (Star Boxing), especially during this pandemic, because he doesn\u2019t have to let me fight on cards that he doesn\u2019t promote like on February 12th.\u201d<\/p>\n
The feeling between Martin and Team Popeye is mutual. \u201cI really like Popeye and Tony,\u201d Martin offered. \u201cHe understands that this isn\u2019t all about fighting. Fighters need to market themselves. and everybody here loves Popeye. After each fight he goes to talk to fans, especially kids, sign autographs for them and pose for pictures. There\u2019s nothing like being here in Florida. It\u2019s the best for training. Good weather all around and coming from the north like him, no excuses to work-out because of the cold. He\u2019s improved the basic stuff since I first watched him. He\u2019s keeping his head up, improved his power, and is more relaxed in the ring. He\u2019s certainly headed in the right direction. He hasn\u2019t been in any battles and I think he\u2019s getting ready to take a big leap into a title fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rivera has benefitted from being promoted by DeGuardia in several ways, including his role as a regular sparring partner for Star Boxing light heavyweight Joe Smith, Jr. (26-3, 21 KOs), who is preparing for a Feb. 13th showdown with Maxim Vlasov (45-3 (26 KOs) airing on ESPN live from The Bubble in Las Vegas. They will fight for the vacant World Boxing Organization Light Heavyweight Championship of the World.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019Popeye\u2019 is a colorful character and an exciting fighter who has a very entertaining style,\u201d DeGuardia remarked. \u201cHe has a great way about him.\u201d<\/p>\n
When asked about putting \u201cPopeye\u201d on Christy\u2019s show, DeGuardia stated: \u201cEvery decision is unique and made with a view towards what\u2019s best for both the promoter and fighter. Does it make sense? Is it good for Star Boxing and our fighters? If it fits, I have no problem having our fighter on somebody else\u2019s card. This makes sense for everybody. Christy gets a good, featured fighter on her card, hopefully \u2018Popeye\u2019 gets a win, and our fighter stays busy. While in this COVID-19 pandemic a few good wins for your fighter is a good thing,\u201d<\/p>\n
His heart may always be in Hartford, but \u2018Popeye\u201d Rivera has found a new home in Orlando, and his boxing career continues to rise.<\/p>\n
INFORMATION.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[AdSense-A] It seems only appropriate that undefeated cruiserweight Richie \u201cPopeye The Sailor Man\u201d Rivera (18-0, 13 KOs) has found a new home in Orlando (FL), although his heart remains in his native Hartford (CT), since he followed his partner\/head trainer Tony Blanco there nearly six months ago, \u201cI recently went to Universal Studios and it\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[25264],"class_list":["post-99506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-richie-popeye-the-sailor-man-rivera-finds-new-home-in-orlando-returns-to-ring-on-february-12th-boxing-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=99506"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99506\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=99506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=99506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=99506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}