NEW FACES By Thomas Gerbasi
SCOUTING REPORT CARD
lone loss to New York’s Jaica Pavilus in May 2023, her cautious approach cost her when she allowed Pavilus back into the fight after dominating the opening moments. Verduzco still should have received the nod on the scorecards, but Pavilus’ rally earned her a split decision win. It is key to note that Verduzco was still transitioning to the pro game that she wouldn’t officially enter for another five months. “I would say my amateur career was very serious to me, but I feel like it’s a lot different now in the pros,” Verduzco said. “It’s not a game. Boxing’s a very selfish sport. You have to hold your composure more, and I had to change my style a bit from the amateurs to the pros. Yes, I do have some amateur style in my pro fights, but again, you have to sit down on your punches. I would say you have to be perfect. But I feel like the experience I had as an amateur in high-level competitions has helped me in the pros. … I know what it feels like to be on a big stage and with a lot of pressure and high expectations.” WHAT’S NEXT: Verduzco is tentatively scheduled to return to Commerce Casino on April 19 against an opponent to be determined. Her coach (and mom), Gloria Alvarado, a respected trainer who guided Yokasta Valle to multiple world titles, promises something special. “I’m just anxious for everyone to see her at 100%,” said “Coach G.” “She’s unstoppable at 100%. You guys have only seen her in three fights, and I’m not saying she doesn’t train to be 100%, but things happen and we had a lot of things happen to us, like health issues and surgeries. But we fought through it, and she put on an amazing performance [against Ellis], just like all the other times.” WHY SHE’S A PROSPECT: When I asked Tom Loeffler, head of 360 Promotions, why fans should pay attention to “Right Hook Roxy,” the industry veteran didn’t mince words: “With only three fights, Roxy has one of the highest upside potentials I’ve seen of a young female athlete, both in the ring and outside the ring,” he said. “She has a tremendous social media following and reaction to her fights leading up to fight night, and then during fight night, her performances in the ring are definitely going to put her on the fast
track to becoming a world-rated fighter. And then challenging for a world title.” That’s high praise. And with an extensive amateur background, youth and a willingness to learn and work hard, Verduzco has all the tools to make a run at a world title. Her power and speed won’t wow anybody, but she’s a sharp and accurate puncher, her footwork is great, and her defense is improving with each bout. But her most telling attribute may be her Fight IQ. Against wild and awkward opponents, she has read them well, stayed patient and made them pay for ill-advised rushes. As her level of competition improves, her ring smarts will pay off even more. The featherweight division is stacked, though, but if she’s moved properly and not too fast, she could be challenging for a belt in a couple years. And who better to move her than Loeffler, who has worked with the likes of Cecilia Braekhus, Lucia Rijker, Seniesa Estrada and Laila Ali? WHY SHE’S A SUSPECT: Verduzco lacks one-punch stopping power and possesses less-than-blazing speed, although she is gaining the kind of experience that should gradually improve her ring generalship. In her second fight, she was already in six-rounders, and she expects eight-rounders sooner rather than later. When you consider her fan following, marketability and the reality that women are moved faster than their male peers in the U.S., there’s a distinct possibility of “too much, too soon” creeping in. Alvarado believes her daughter can take on the best in the division tomorrow, but she’s also wise enough to let Loeffler and his team take the reins when it comes to the future. Because as much of an upside as Verduzco has, she’s not ready for the likes of Amanda Serrano yet. “But I leave it up to our promotion and Tom and [360 Promotions’ director of operations] Mike [Stiles],” Alvarado said. “They’re doing an amazing job with her. And I know they know what they’re doing. That’s the reason why we signed with them. They’re going to push her through everything they have to get her to be undisputed in multiple divisions.” And to add to the good news from the Verduzco camp, the one with the gloves on isn’t in a rush. “A lot of people make the mistake of
moving too fast, and they end up becoming a one-hit wonder,” Verduzco said. “That’s not what I want to do. I want to be known for years and years, and I definitely have the resume and I have the pedigree. But I’m going to take my time, and I’m going to do it the right way.” STORYLINES: How much time do you have? Everybody in this business has a story, but Verduzco’s is better than most. The member of a fighting family that includes a kickboxing legend in uncle Benny “The Jet” Urquidez and another combat sports legend in her late aunt, California Boxing Hall of Fame member Lily Rodriguez, Verduzco was practically born with gloves on. She started in the sport at 4 and had her first fight at 8, and though she had dreams of competing in the 2020 Olympics, missing the cut for Team USA and then seeing the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to everything else left her wondering whether she was going to continue her career in the ring. “After all those years, I did lose my spark a bit,” Verduzco said. “I was already hitting my early twenties during COVID, and I just thought, ‘Do I want to do this?’ And I sat there. I did a lot of other sports, and I was a very athletic person. I did softball, track and field – you name it, I did it. But I started letting people get in my head, and during COVID, everything shut down and I got too comfortable. But I got my spark back. I lived in Mexico during that time, and I just felt like I needed that break to really figure out who I am and who I was. And boxing was what I knew. I did do some college classes, but I knew that with boxing, I’ve been doing this so long that I can’t just throw it out the window. And I fell in love with the sport again. And now here I am.” There aren’t too many 23-year-old pros with 3-0 records who have over 102,000 followers on Instagram. But she’s not shocked at how her story has resonated with her fans. “I’m definitely not surprised,” she said. “I’m really grateful for all the support and love. But I’ve been around for a really long time, so everyone was just more expecting me [to turn pro]. (laughs) They were expecting me to jump to the pros from the amateurs right away, and I had taken some time off. So everyone was just really just excited to see me in the pro ranks now.”
Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco
Amateur pedigree: 10 With over 100 amateur wins and a host of national titles, Verduzco was close to earning a spot on the 2020 U.S. Olympic team. This makes her one of the more accomplished United States amateurs to make it to the pro ranks, and it gives her an edge over most of the opposition she’ll be facing. Punching power: 5 She has decent pop in her right hand, hence the “Right Hook Roxy” moniker, but she’s not a one-punch knockout artist by any means. The knockouts she’s going to get as a pro are going to result from an accumulation of blows, not one shot. Speed: 6 She’s not slow, but not blazingly fast either. Verduzco’s footwork is going to cover that up, because she’s already shown to be where she needs to be when she needs to be there. Skill: 8 Her fundamentals are solid, and that technique will allow her to go far. Maybe most impressive in her arsenal is the deceptively effective defense that sees her deflect blows and lessen their impact when they do land. Pro Ceiling: 9 If moved properly, she’ll be a champion in a couple years or at least in the mix among the elite at featherweight and above. Add in all the intangibles, and the potential for her to be a crossover star is there as well. Total (out of 50): 38
Age: 23 Hometown: Los Angeles Weight Class: Featherweight Height: 5-foot-4 Stance: Orthodox Amateur Record: 101-6 Turned Pro: 2023 Pro Record: 3-0 (1 KO) Trainer: Gloria Alvarado Promoter: 360 Promotions Instagram: @righthookroxy
her home in Glendale due to the wildfires that hit the Los Angeles area. She admits that she had a few butterflies stepping into the ring at Commerce Casino that night. “I’ve been testing it in sparring and been getting hit in the body and, at first, I was like, ‘Oh, OK, that’s a little uncomfortable.’ (laughs) But I think I got to the point where I got used to it. And [Ellis] wasn’t a power puncher, but I obviously was looking out for my health. I do worry, and I was just making sure, like, ‘I’m here. I’m actually walking on the stage right now with all the trials and tribulations I had this whole camp. I’m actually here, and now I just have to shine and use my skill.’” WORST NIGHT: With a perfect pro record and a trio of dominant wins, Verduzco hasn’t had a bad night as a pro yet. But if we have to find something, I’d have to look at her nine-fight run in the Team Combat League. Verduzco went 8-1 for the Los Angeles team while fighting in a promotion that features one-round fights, and in her
BEST NIGHT: In January against Lindsey Ellis, Verduzco put her foot on the gas and never let up, stopping her foe in the third round. It’s almost like we’re seeing Verduzco adding more tools to her attack with each fight, and in this one with Ellis, she was more consistent with her aggression, her body work was impressive, and she showed zero respect for what Ellis was throwing back at her. Just a complete effort, and one that came just two months after surgery to remove her appendix and a week after having to evacuate
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