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Miami Valley boxer prepares to fight for world title

A Trotwood-Madison High School graduate is getting ready to fight for a world championship.

It’s the first time in nearly 60 years that a Miami Valley boxer will have a shot at a world title.

Chris Pearson is boxing for the IBO super middleweight title, but during his 10 year professional career things haven’t always been easy for him.

“I’m not really deep into religion, but I feel God. I feel like in my darkest places when I didn’t have nothing to lean on that’s what I had, that’s what got me through,” Pearson said.

Most recently, Pearson was scheduled to fight last March, but then the shutdown canceled those plans.

“It was tough because coming off that Yamaguchi fight and becoming a regional champion after all the shortcomings I had I thought ‘ok, now I’ve got the momentum. Now I’m about to be able to show the world what I’m capable of,’” Pearson said.

Pearson had a decorated amateur career, and much of the talk in his professional career was being undefeated and tied in with some of the biggest names in boxing.

He is 17-20 now as a pro, but all of that is in the rearview mirror.

“It’s everything, because I could say it doesn’t matter, I could try to minimize it whatever. That’s what I use to do. But it means everything,” Pearson said. “I want to be the face, I want to be a legend. That’s what you do it for, that’s what you sacrifice for. That’s why I’m still fighting fight after not fighting for 2 years.”

Pearson says he is tired of the “almost” and “on the verge” talk, and that he is ready to win the title.

Pearson will face Carlos Gongora Saturday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.





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