Written by Sean Malone | 19 August 2008

Dallas based bantamweight prospect Robert Marroquin has created a small buzz within the industry after his impressive first round beat-down of Robert Perez last month.  The undefeated prospect (3-0, 3 KOs) and full-time college student has been one of Dallas' best kept secrets but following his impressive showing on Telefutura the secret may be out.  Recently Ring Report had the chance to speak with the 18 year-old fighter during a break in his busy schedule.  Ring Report:  What got you into boxing? Robert Marroquin:  Well actually before I got into boxing I played baseball.  The season was over so my dad was like; well I don’t want you to be in the streets or anything like that.  I want you to be involved in a sport so you just won’t be out there doing bad stuff or stuff you are not supposed to be doing.  So we went to this flea market and there was some sparring going on and my dad looked at me and said hey would you like to try boxing.  I was like yeah sure!  I was still hoping to play baseball but I started to like boxing after a month or two and I kept on going, that’s how I’m here.  It was just a coincidence that I started liking it and everything and kept on going with it.  RR:  What position did you play in baseball? RM:  I was the pitcher and a shortstop.  RR:  How old were you when you got into boxing? RM:  I was actually eight years old around that time.  RR:  And you've been boxing ever since... RM:  Yep, then I tried to play baseball back in high school.  I played one or two games but it wasn’t the same anymore. RR:  So what happened?  Did you lose the passion? RM:  Well not the passion.  I love baseball, I like playing and everything like that it was just it was too advanced for me.  I was rusty and everything so I was like let me just stick to boxing.  RR:  What was your amateur career like? RM:  The only national title I got was the Pan Am box-off which made me qualify for the Pan Am games in 2007.  After going to the Pan-Am I made the Olympic trials and I lost to Gary Russell in a double elimination in the finals.  I had to fight him three times in a week.  It was pretty tough competition back then.  I lost by four points I believe.  It was a close fight, I thought I had it.  It was hard to go in there an beat the favorite (Russell).  I had a more professional style and they didn’t want a slow guy going into the Olympics. RR:  And by professional style, that means you hit hard. RM:  Yeah but the other guy did too.  (Luaghs) I though I did better then him in the fights and actually I caught him and he was out in the last round.  The referee had to clap in his face to get him back into the fight.  In the final seconds he just ran and ran and ran.  RR:  So after that you decided to turn pro? RM:  Yeah.  They actually made an offer to me to stay an amateur for another four years and try to make the Olympics.  I was like well I had already paid for school and everything.  I go to Northwood University in Cedar Hill, TX and we had gotten the loan and everything and I just didn’t want to throw that away.  Later on Top Rank came with a deal and I went with it and decided to go pro.  That was in January. RR:  So are you still in school? RM:  Yes sir, I’m a sophomore now.  RR:  What is your major? RM:  Accounting. RR:  So how did Top Rank get involved? RM:  Well, we were talking to Golden Boy before Top Rank.  Golden Boy was going to sign me but they wanted me to go two or three fights as a pro and then they would see if they sign me but Top Rank was like well you did enough in your amateur career.  They were like you don’t have to prove yourself to us.  So I was like alright then plus the way I saw it Golden Boy has so many boxers that they don’t pay attention to an individual.  Bruce [Trampler] and all these guys at Top Rank have made a pretty good schedule for me as a professional.  Eric Gomez, he was over here telling me I had to prove to him that I was going to do something as a professional.  And I’m like what is there to prove?  They wanted me to fight against this undefeated guy, you know I’m 18, I’m trying to take it slow.  There is no rush with me and that is what Top Rank said, we are just going to take it slow for now.  We know your background as an amateur so you don’t have to prove anything to us.  And that is what I wanted, I don’t want to be rushing myself right now and I got college to go to.  I’m a full time student.  RR:  Was part of your decision to go with Top Rank based on their record of building up fighters? RM:  Yeah that is what my coach and father were telling me.  They said look at it this way, you see all these fighters, De La Hoya, Mayweather, Cotto, they came up with Top Rank and that is who made them.  I was actually ready to sign with Golden Boy until my father was telling me all of this stuff.  I was like he actually has a point. Bruce and all these guys from Top Rank have been moving me pretty well.  I don’t have to be in a rush.  I also don’t want to be fighting fighters that are like 0-8, I have to prove myself but not against top fighters [at this stage of my career]. RR:  So how do you balance being a full time student with being a professional boxer? RM:  It’s pretty hard.  I go to school, come back home and try to get the homework done.  I go back to the gym and then I come back home around 8 or 9 and try to finish homework.  Sometimes I have to stay up all night trying to finish homework.  It’s the same routine all week.  I try to get a little bit of rest on the weekends but usually I don’t.  It’s pretty complicated but I’m trying to get it done as fast as I can.  I don’t want to have any regrets at all.  If I don’t have nothing to do in boxing then at least I have something to rely on.  Photo courtesy of Ed Garza

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