 Amateur spotlight: Fidel Maldonado
Rated as high as No. 2, Maldonado targets a national title before hitting the pros
Story & photos by Chris Cozzone
Given the current, local trend of amateurs cashing in their headgear for the cash-driven pro game, New Mexico is losing most of their top fighters in the ‘simon pure’ ranks.
Duke City fight fans, however, can rest assured that, at least, one local hopeful plans on sticking around long enough in the amateurs to bring home a national amateur championship.
His name is Fidel Maldonado and, in the past year, the soon-to-be-17-year-old “Atrisco Kid” has punched his way into USA Boxing’s top ten ratings, while coming close to bringing home the bacon in two national tournaments.
“For me, it’s going to be another year before I turn pro,” says Maldonado, a veteran now of 98 bouts, all but 14 being wins. “I’ll stay amateur a while—long enough to win a big national tournament.”
In this year’s National Golden Gloves, the 132-pound Maldonado got as far as the semifinals, before losing to eventual winner, Michael Perez, of New Jersey, in a disputed decision. Earlier in the year, Maldonado also got to the semifinals in the U.S. Future Stars Nationals, losing by disqualification to Miguel Gonzales, of Cleveland, Ohio.
“I came close,” says Maldonado, who’s won several National Silver Gloves and Junior Olympics before turning open at 16.
“We want him to be No. 1 in the country, and No. 1 in the world,” says Maldonado’s trainer and father, Fidel, Sr.
“When he wins all the big tournaments, it’ll be time, then, for the pros.”
Fidel says he’s not pressured to go pro, despite watching all his peers doing so.
 “It’s good for them, if they feel they’re ready,” he says. “But for me, it’ll be another year, when I’m 18, at least. In the meantime, I’ll just keep fighting, trying to make a name for myself.”
Rated as high as No. 2, and No. 4 right now, in the 132-pound division, Maldonado has been able to do just that—make a name for himself—both, in and out of the ring.
In December 2006, while preparing for a tournament, Maldonado had the state Zia symbol and “505” shaved into the back of his head. The principal of Rio Grande High School, where Maldonado attends, accused the boxer of having a gang haircut. Threatening suspension, the principal took it upon himself to take Maldonado to a barber, who refused to do the job without parental permission.
The incident made nationwide news.
The next nationwide news he receives, says Maldonado, will be bringing home a national title.
In the meantime, Maldonado will fight every chance he gets-including this Saturday night.
This weekend, at Mirabal Boxing’s “The Next Great Champ” pro-style amateur card at the Paradise Hills Community Center in Albuquerque, Maldonado will enter the ring in Fight No. 99, in one of the feature bouts, against El Paso’s Marcos Gariby.
The card begins at 6 p.m.
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