Promising Prospect: Brian Gordon

By Mario Ortega Jr.

W: 4 L: 0 Bakersfield, California Light Welterweight

Famed trainer, turned noted commentator and author, Teddy Atlas often asks when a boxing prospect is concerned, ‘How will he react to being tested mentally?’ He wants to know what will happen when they need to reach down deep that first time. The first time their back is against the wall, how will they perform then. One such prospect that has already been tested mentally in ways unimaginable to most is Bakersfield, California’s Brian “The Constrictor” Gordon.

Early in life, Gordon knew he wanted to be a professional athlete, but not necessarily a boxer. He was a multi-sport competitor at Barstow High School, just about 130 miles southeast of Bakersfield, California. “I always wanted to box, or be a professional athlete in general,” recalls Gordon. Most fighters that eventually become solid professionals started boxing at a young age and slowly work their way through the amateur circuit as they grow older. Brian Gordon got a later start than most, finding his way to the sport while in the Army. It was in 1999, while stationed at Fort Hood, located just outside Killeen, Texas, that Gordon would meet eventual trainer and mentor Ben Sandoval. “I was one of the Army boxing coaches at Fort Hood. He got stationed here when he was 18 or 19 years old,” recalls Sandoval, an Army boxer from 1994-95, who fought the late Diego Corrales as an amateur. “From the beginning he has been training me. We are friends, but more so we are family,” states Gordon.

When the Fort Hood Army team was disbanded after one of the fighters got hurt, Sandoval opened up his own gym, the Kayo Boxing Gym in Killeen, Texas. “When I opened up my own boxing gym Gordon asked me to train him. We hit it off like brothers,” says Sandoval. The bond between Gordon and Sandoval developed into something stronger than just trainer and fighter. “He’s my manager, mentor and guider. He was there from the beginning and we’ve been together ever since,” says Gordon. Friends and family of Gordon and Sandoval often kid them of their close relationship, “A lot of people think we are married,” proclaims Sandoval.

Soon Sandoval and Gordon would embark on his amateur career together. Gordon would quickly adapt to fighting some of the top amateurs in United States, despite not having much experience. Gordon would only compete twice in the novice division, before entering the open amateur circuit. “Skill-wise I was going off fighting. It was somewhat intimidating,” remembers Gordon of his early amateur career. Gordon progressed quickly, winning the U.S. Amateur Texas State Championship in 2001 to qualify for the U.S. Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “In his ninth or tenth fight, he qualified for Nationals,” recalls Sandoval. In the semi-final round, Gordon would drop a decision to Anthony Little by a single point. It was a hard loss for Gordon and Sandoval to accept, as they believe they did enough to earn the victory. “I thought I did everything but kill him. I had him out on his feet in the first round. I don’t remember getting hit in the fourth and I was pounding on him in the fourth,” remembers Gordon. Sandoval echoes Gordon’s disgust with the decision, “He lost 14-13 at Nationals. We thought we knocked the crap out of the guy.” In any event, just making it to Colorado has to be considered a great achievement for an amateur with just under ten fights. His strong showing could have only given the fighter-trainer duo added confidence.

In December 2002, boxing would take a backseat to real life, as Gordon learned that he would be deployed to Iraq in March of the following year. “I thought it was the end of my life. I didn’t even have boxing on my mind,” recalls Gordon. Gordon would drive tanks in Iraq, and unsurprisingly his experiences overseas have had a lasting effect on him. “We had to deal with RPG attacks while driving tanks for dropping off fuel,” remembers Gordon. “When you are driving at night, [bombing] flashes the whole sky. I still have trouble driving at night, especially in the rain or if there is lightning.” In all, Gordon would spend 13 months in Iraq over two terms.

Despite all the negative effects than can arise from a soldier’s time in war, Gordon looks back on his time served as a positive experience. “It was a great experience. At the time, I didn’t have a great idea of why we were in the war,” says Gordon. “It gave me a totally different outlook on life. I learned to appreciate the small things.” His mentor Sandoval also believes Gordon’s time in the military had a positive impact on his life. “It taught him about survival. It taught him a lot about life. He was a little man, so he was always a scrapper. I think the military has matured him into a grown man,” says Sandoval. “You name it, he’s seen it.”

After returning home from his second deployment to Iraq and with only 21 amateur fights, with a solid 18-3 record, Gordon and Sandoval made the decision to turn professional. “He’s getting older, so let’s do it. He was 18-3 as an amateur and he’s always had a pro style,” says Sandoval. “He has what it takes to make it as a professional. When he was an amateur and he had 8 or 9 fights, he was fighting guys with 80, 90 fights and beating them.” Going forward, Gordon would move back to California, while Sandoval stayed back in Texas. “When I moved [to California] he took over the roll of managing me, we are a 1-2 punch,” says Gordon. While Gordon may have taken a chance having Sandoval, a car salesman by trade, as his manager, he knows he can trust him and has complete confidence in him. They have a lot of faith in each other, and have decided to take on the pro journey together. “I was an average fighter,” proclaims Sandoval. “I’m living the dream through Gordon. I get a big thrill from him doing well. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be a fighter. Maybe I was meant to be a manager or trainer. He’s my pride and joy.”

Before turning professional, Gordon made an attempt at becoming apart of the Contender reality series. Gordon was dismissed as a candidate for the series after the Contender brass said they would not turn a fighter pro. Gordon was dejected by their decision, and even considered giving up the sport. “It’s supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime, but they wouldn’t give me the opportunity because I had not turned pro,” remembers Gordon.

Soon after Gordon returned to Southern California, he hooked up with a professional fighter and his trainer. The fighter helped Gordon through the process of getting his professional license. The trainer saw potential in Gordon, and made clear his intentions to become his trainer and manager. Gordon explained that he already had a man to fill that role. “He wanted to be everything,” recalls Gordon. “I guess he saw money, so we had a falling out.” In his search for a trainer, Gordon found the well respected Mike Dallas. “When I first got to Bakersfield I went to the PAL Gym, where I met Mike Dallas,” recalls Gordon. “We just clicked.” With his previous experience behind him, Gordon made sure from the beginning that Dallas understood the situation. “I explained to him that Ben was my manager, and he understood,” says Gordon.

With his team set, Gordon, at the age of 27, was ready to embark on his professional career. Gordon was set to make his debut in May 2007 against junior welterweight Brian Cummings of Denver, Colorado at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California. However, Cummings would pull out of the bout just days prior to the event. It would become an annoyingly common occurrence for Gordon. “It’s very frustrating,” admits Sandoval. “[The opponent] could be a southpaw one day and an orthodox the next. It’s more mental, he is always wondering ‘Am I fighting? Or am I not fighting?’ It got so frustrating that Brian was thinking about quitting boxing. It’s a profession, it’s not a game anymore.” Luckily, promoters for the event found a replacement opponent, Chris Lopez, also of Denver, Colorado, and Gordon was able to make his debut. “The fighting is the easy part,” proclaims Gordon. “I was nervous because I just couldn’t believe it was happening. I was the last fight of about eleven fights. I had to go to the restroom like fifteen times, on only a bottle of water, and got my nervousness out that way.” The end result was a first-round knockout victory with a body shot.

For Gordon’s second bout two months later, manager Ben Sandoval sought out a spot on an upcoming card at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, California. Jerry Hoffman, of 12 Sports Productions, was the promoter of the event, and one known for matching tough and competitive fights. Hoffman matched Gordon with Maurice Slade, a San Jose-based fighter that was rated as high as number five in the United States as an amateur welterweight. Normally fighting a highly ranked amateur, in their hometown, is not ideal for your second professional fight. However Gordon and Sandoval both relish having the odds stacked against them. “Maurice was supposed to be a real good fighter. We were the underdog,” states Sandoval. “It was a challenge to go into the guy’s hometown. He was also a lot bigger [than Brian,] he fought at 157 as an amateur. Brian likes the challenge. He doesn’t want to leave the decision in the judges’ hands.” Gordon did just that, ending matters in the first round with a devastating knockout. Going in, Gordon did not have any doubts about taking what on paper looked like a tough opponent. “The result was great. All the accolades don’t mean much, you have to be that in one night against me,” says Gordon. “It’s more motivation for me. This is what I want to do for life. I was happy [to get the fight,] there was no hesitation. Everybody wants to cruise up and get their record up there. I don’t want to be one of those guys that are unchallenged, and then when the challenge comes, their whole world is crushed,” says Gordon. With the fight so brief, Hoffman was more impressed by Gordon the person and his team. “He’s a great guy, he’s not manufactured. He’s got good people around him who care about him legitimately and not as a commodity,” says Hoffman. “He’s definitely one of the good guys and he’s got a good trainer in Mike Dallas.”

For his third professional bout, Gordon would come home to fight at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield. Again days before the fight, Gordon would find out he would be fighting someone other than he was at first scheduled for. “Three out of four opponents have backed out a week before,” says manager Sandoval. “I think it is a little fear, the word is getting around California.” The replacement this time out, Juan El Issa of Fresno, California, was a veteran of nine pro bouts, and had done fairly well against decent opposition. It would also be the first scheduled six-round contest of Gordon’s pro career and thus a step up on two fronts. “It was packed and loud. It’s harder to fight in your hometown than anywhere else. I knocked him down ten seconds into the first with a four punch combination, and I thought the fight was over,” Gordon reflects. Sensing his opponent was on the way out, Gordon put everything he had in closing the show. El Issa proved to be more resilient than expected, and turned the tables briefly on a tiring Gordon. “By the third and fourth rounds I was dead tired. In the fourth he caught me on the right spot, and knocked me down to a knee. In the fifth, he went for the same looping right hand he caught me with in the fourth, but I caught him with an uppercut and put him to sleep.”

After passing his first test in the ring, manager Ben Sandoval matched him with fellow prospect Aris Ambriz, a 22-year old (4-0, 3 KOs) fighter at the time from Azusa, California. The bout was all set to be the main event for the sold out Irvine Marriot in Irvine, California, before Ambriz pulled out with the flu a week before the February date. “I was crushed. It was a good opportunity to showcase what I got. It was set up back in December. I was finishing up my training and ready to fight,” remembers Gordon. “All my family bought tickets, but luckily we got another fighter in there and I took care of business.” Gordon took care of business by knocking out twelve fight veteran Michaelangelo Lynks in the sixth-round, having already dropped him twice in the second.

With just four fights on his fighter’s pro resume, Sandoval has found it increasingly difficult to find opponents willing to get in the ring with Gordon. Attempting to make a sale and getting turned down is not foreign to Sandoval. “I’m a car salesman by nature, so I’m used to it,” says Sandoval. “We were supposed to fight Ambriz, and he’s supposed to be a superstar. We’ve also been trying to fight Aaron Martinez, the California State Welterweight Champion. We’ve been trying to fight him the last couple of fights.” While in between fights, Brian Gordon is an avid viewer of the boxing schedule page at Boxrec.com, as he searches for potential opponents. Recently a scheduled fighter without a listed opponent caught his attention, Ruslan Provodnikov, a highly regarded (7-0, 6 KOs) prospect from Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. “When I saw it on the schedule, I asked Ben to call and try it. The day he told me [we got the fight,] I got up and ran four miles. They made a mistake in saying ‘yes.’ This is what I dreamed of,” says Gordon. Provodnikov reportedly had a long and distinguished amateur career that included 400-plus bouts. The Russian prospect recently signed a promotional deal with Banner Promotions, the promoters for the upcoming bout against Gordon. From every angle, it looks like the odds may be stacked against Gordon, but his manager Sandoval has confidence that he will come out victorious. “It’s an opportunity we can’t pass up. He’s supposed to be the next Kostya Tszyu, but he breathes just like we do,” says Sandoval. “He’s supposed to be pretty good, but we’re pretty good too. Some people might think we are moving too quick, but that’s the dream, to be in the spotlight,” says Sandoval. The spotlight will be brighter than it has ever been prior in Gordon’s career, as the six-round contest will be aired on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights on May 16th from Las Vegas, Nevada. Gordon has often watched boxing on television and wondered why some of those fighters were on TV and not him, but now it will be him. “It’s crazy. I can’t believe it,” Gordon says excitedly. “It will hit me when I’m at the weigh-in. I’m speechless. It’s ESPN and I watch ESPN all day, everyday,” says Gordon with ESPN2 Wednesday Night Fights on his television in the background. “It’s a great opportunity for me and my family.” Jerry Hoffman, promoter of Gordon’s second bout, believes taking this fight says a lot about who Brian Gordon is. “It seems like it is hard to find fights for Brian. The fact that he is stepping up with a guy who has better credentials is a positive commentary on his confidence,” says Hoffman. “He has great potential, but he’s learning the pro game on the fly. Even if he were to lose this fight – chalk it up to experience. He’s got to make up for lost time.” Gordon knows the importance the upcoming bout has for his career. “I take every fight like it’s my last fight,” adds Gordon. “I’m going to do what Brian Gordon does.”

One of the goals for every fighter to make enough money in boxing that they can make it their full-time career, and drop whatever job they have to pay the bills. Gordon is a full-time mechanic during the day, and a boxer in training on his off hours. Gordon believes the hard work he puts in now will eventually pay off for him in boxing. “It’s extremely hard. Picking up heavy stuff, turning wrenches, it does take a toll. What I want in this boxing life is going to take that dedication. It motivates me more,” says Gordon. One of the ways some young fighters are able to make boxing their full-time gig is by gaining the attention of one of the larger promoters. While his effort against Provodnikov could open some eyes, the promoters have not made an effort to sign Gordon as of yet. “It’s frustrating. I wonder what they are looking for. I just put it in the Lord’s hands and await whatever he has in store for me,” says Gordon.

Gordon has good reason to want to do well in boxing, his family. Gordon is married to his wife of two years, Latonya and together they have two children, daughter Taniah and son Demonte. Gordon also has a son, Andrew, from a previous marriage. They provide him with great motivation and support. “Latonya is a tremendous support. She supports me in everything,” says Gordon. While his children understand their father is a boxer, it is too hard for them to watch him perform in the ring. “They came out for one fight and cried and screamed the whole time, so that was the end of that,” says Gordon. Gordon’s son Demonte has shown some interest in boxing, but Gordon refuses to force it on him. “It’s almost 24/7 boxing here. My son hides my stuff. He comes in with my bag and puts on my stuff. My dream was football. Whatever he is in to is fine with me – boxing, gymnastics, basketball, whatever it is,” says Gordon. One of Gordon’s goals is to do well enough in boxing where he can make an investment in his family. “I want to own my own business. Open a restaurant for my mother, who is an amazing chef. I want to put some money into my family. I want to own a lot of businesses, and make ten dollars into twenty, twenty into forty, forty into eighty and so on.”

On paper it may seem as if there are too many factors working against Brian Gordon in his quest to climb up the boxing ladder. Time is working against him. He doesn’t have the high profile promoter or manager working for him. But, as he has proven before, Gordon doesn’t live his life on paper. He has battled odds and predictions his whole life. Gordon does have the skills, the support of his family and a manager that cares for him. Maybe best of all, as car salesman and boxing manager Ben Sandoval would tell you, “Brian Gordon has all the potential in the world.”

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com