By Mario Ortega Jr.-
In life, and in boxing, there is no substitution for experience. Exciting super featherweight prospect Kevin Montano believes that, despite his relative young age of 24-years-old. After years of learning and perfecting his trade over the course of a long amateur run, Montano and his team felt he had gained the experience needed to embark on a successful professional career and the Sacramento State graduate made the move to the paid ranks in August of last year. After notching two wins in 2021, the gifted young pro goes for win number three this coming Friday night, in front of his hometown fans at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, California against the professionally more experienced 27-fight veteran Corben Page.
Montano (2-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento began boxing at the age of eight, training under renowned Concord, California-based veteran trainer Gary Sullenger, who still trains him to this day. “My family and friends wanted me to stay out of trouble, so they kept me in the gym,” recalls Montano. “When I won my first fight at nine, I loved the feeling of winning. Nothing compared to performing in front of a crowd, and having your name announced as the winner.”
Montano kept the winning feeling with him throughout over 160 amateur fights, achieving great national and international recognition along the way. “Personally, I wanted to get the most out of my amateur career and gain experience fighting the most different types of fighters that I could, especially going into the Olympic Trials and fighting overseas with Team USA,” explains Montano. “I wanted to see it all, because I have seen a lot of fighters turn pro too early and come across a style that they are not used to. There’s a lot of very awkward or very slick types of fighters out there. If you aren’t used to that in the amateurs, you definitely won’t be used to that in the pros. I feel like I have seen it all over these 160 bouts. I feel like I am well seasoned to turn pro, so that is why we turned pro at this time.”
Montano, who earned his degree in kinesiology, has a student’s approach to the boxing business. “In my eyes, just kind of like high school, there is a four-year cycle where everyone turns pro,” says Montano. “For me, this was like my graduation year. The Olympic cycle is every four years. So I went for Olympic Trials, it didn’t go as planned, so it was time to graduate and take the next step in my career.”
The next step began with a second-round knockout in front of his Sacramento and Bay Area fanbase last August. Two months later, Montano returned to the DoubleTree Hotel with a four-round unanimous decision. Beginning his professional career in his adopted hometown is a luxury Montano has not taken for granted. “I like to call it my adopted hometown, because I have been here for several years now and the city has shown me a lot of love,” says Montano. “I am very comfortable here. The people love me and I love them back. I have been here for four or five years. I pursued a higher education and the city grew on me and I grew on them.”
Montano began his boxing training in Concord, where Sullenger has been based for decades. Now as a professional, living in Sacramento, Montano still makes the drive to get his boxing work in the Bay Area with his lifelong trainer. “I go down there about three times a week,” explains Montano. “It’s a lot of commuting, but this is my profession, so it is all worth it. He tunes me up, tells me what I need to work on. I get any extra sparring and then I go up here because my strength coach is in Sacramento, but my boxing coaches are in the Bay Area.”
Not surprisingly, the college graduate/professional boxer does not take any shortcuts when it comes to his homework, studying his opponents before fight night. “I definitely study my opponents, so I know what he has got and I don’t think he has that much to bring,” says the supremely confident Montano. “I am very confident in my ability, especially my strengths: my speed and my athleticism. I am also very well-rounded in experience. I have had over 160 amateur fights and now my power is developing. I am looking to capitalize on that in this fight.”
While he does hope to be expanding his horizons soon when it comes to fight locations, Montano is very appreciative to be fighting before his family and friends. If things all go according to plan, Montano will be back at the DoubleTree Hotel in August as well. “I want to thank everybody that bought tickets to come out and support me and watch me fight live,” says Montano, with appreciation in his voice. “That means a lot to me. Even if you tried to make it and couldn’t make it, I know a lot of things happen, so I do understand. I want to give a lot of attention to my supporters, because they are definitely a driving force that keeps me going.”
With years of experience and his local fanbase supporting him from ringside, Montano is more than confident that Friday the 13th in Sacramento will be a nightmare for one Corben Page. “I don’t underestimate anybody,” explains Montano. “I know that I am more than experienced enough to handle somebody like this. I have been fighting for 16 years now. I’ve seen it all. I feel like this is just another guy that I have to get past. I do expect to dominate him and stop him for sure. I feel more than ready.”
Tickets for the event, titled “May Madness: Show Up or Shut Up” and promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at uppercutpro.com
Photos by Julio Sanchez
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at [email protected] or followed on Twitter @MarioG280
