A PUNCHER'S CHANCE: Southern Indiana boxer, Puerto Rico native making most of opportunities

Nov. 1—His shirt says "Million Dollar Smile" and his amiable attitude matches the slogan, but in the ring, Denzel Negron is a nightmare.

As he prepares for his Nov. 11 bout in Louisville, Negron is wearing out the punching bag inside of the Jeff City Boxing & MMA gym. His fists strike with devastating force and move with lightning quickness, but the 23-year-olds' road to Southern Indiana and boxing success has been a grind.

"It's a tough sport. It's a lifestyle," Negron said. "It doesn't change only the boxer's life, it changes the family as well because they have to adjust to the schedule, the eating, the habit of almost not enjoying times like the summer, because we fight constantly. It's not a sport where there's an on-season and an offseason. It's a year-round sport."

After 137 amateur bouts, most in his home country, Puerto Rico, Negron is 4-0 as a professional boxer. Three of the featherweight's wins have come via knockout, and it's easy to see why when witnessing the explosion of Negron's attack and skill of his approach.

He started boxing when he was 7. Coming from a line of bakers and pastry chefs, Negron was understandably a little on the chunky side. He also concedes that he was a bit of a troublemaker.

Negron initially approached his grandfather about boxing.

"At first it was more to lose weight," he said. "But then I started to fall in love with the sport, and I've been doing it for 16 years now."

Negron prides himself on being able to do it all in the ring.

"I can either fight forward or I can box you. I like brawling more because it's my favorite style," Negron said. "I think that being a complete boxer makes a huge difference in the ring, with any fighter."

But what's above the shoulders is just as important, if not more so, than a fighter's fists.

"Boxing is 60 percent mental. It's very, very hard mentally. There are fighters that can take a punch, and if you're a boxer that's used to knocking people out, it's kind of hard and it messes with your head," Negron said.

Beyond skill, what Negron also has in his corner is the backing of his family. Negron's father, German, trains the featherweight.

"I've seen all of his progress so far, from where he didn't know how to throw a punch to where he's now an elite boxer," German said of his son. "The family's proud. We're his number one fans. When you hear people talk about your son and they say he can become a world champion, it fills your chest up with pride."

"Some people say that's the best team, father and son," Denzel said. "He's been my trainer for 16 years, and he's learned along the way with me. It's different because it's not like it's just in the gym. It makes it a little easier as well for the discipline because he keeps pressure on me so I can do things right."

Hearing Denzel describe his average day, the word "easy" doesn't come to mind.

Negron is up before the sun, rising at about 4 a.m. to hit the gym for strength and conditioning training. He ends the early session with a run before heading off to work. After getting off in the mid-afternoon, Negron is back in the gym for bag work and sparring.

Jeremy Voyles, owner of Jeff City Boxing, has trained and opened his gym up to many successful boxers. Yet it's Denzel who's garnered his own training space inside the Jeffersonville gym. Voyles said Negron earned that right.

"He's got unbelievable work ethic," Voyles said of Negron.

Negron emailed and called back-and-forth with Voyles for about five months before he left Puerto Rico for the U.S.

"Since day one that he's been in the States, him and his father, German, who is a great trainer, they've been with us," Voyles said. "He's moved up through the ranks and he's taking a little bit tougher of a fight this time. We're shooting for going out of state probably within three-to-four months, taking him to the next level and getting him ready for a TV fight."

Negron describes Jeff City Boxing as a "family environment" and one he would have been introduced to sooner had it not been for the pandemic delaying his move to the U.S.

"It's a great gym. Jeremy Voyles greeted me with open arms, took me in and I've been here ever since," Negron said.

Three of Negron's professional bouts have been in Louisville, and one in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Those professional fights followed his storied amateur career in Puerto Rico where he won multiple tournaments and was a two-time gold medalist in the Puerto Rico Olympic Games.

Negron and his father share the same favorite boxer, Wilfred Benitez. The American-born Puerto Rican is the youngest world champion in boxing history.

"I want to be like him because I admire him and everything he did for the sport," Denzel said of Benitez.

"He was humble, and I admire him as a boxer and a person."

And Negron is staying humble and staying in the moment.

"We go step-by-step. Right now, I'm focused on this fight. After this fight, we'll see what the next step is in my career. Right now, I'm just focusing on November 11," he said.

Jeff City Boxing has a great mix of experienced brawlers and youth boxers who are learning the sport. When asked what advice he would give to kids who are considering trying the sport, Negron said don't let fear stand in the way.

"Yes, it's a hard sport, but just get started, come to the gym. It always starts as a hobby, but if you really, really love the sport, come in and try it," he said. "Don't be scared about whether someone is going to judge you. Come in and try it. Why not?"

Negron will face Cameron Cain on Nov. 11 in Louisville. For ticket information, call 502-541-1063.