Heron serious about Wray and Nephew Fight Nights

IT TOOK Juezier Heron quite a while to get serious about boxing, but since he made the conscious decision to make the sport the centrepiece of his life, ‘Iron Man’ has been dedicated to becoming the best, not only in Jamaica, but the world.

Heron made a successful professional debut at the recently held Wray & Nephew Fight Nights at the Cling Cling Oval in Olympic Gardens, and the sweet taste of victory has left him yearning for more.

Boxing has always been part of his life as his father was a boxer before him. Despite growing up in the sport, the 24-year-old stayed away from pursuing it as a career until he was 20 years old.

“My dad taught me here and there since I was five. However, I never took it seriously enough and didn’t officially pick it up until 2019,” he revealed.

“I always felt a calling towards boxing to begin with, especially since I saw The Wray & Nephew Contender as a child.”

Challenged by his uncle to find a purpose for his life, Heron decided that he wanted to become a professional boxer. That led to an introduction to Rikardo Smith, who became his first mentor.

“Although he is not my current coach, he did inspire me regarding resilience. Seeing him and the way how he became the first winner of The Wray and Nephew Contender by defeating someone who no one expected him to defeat was heavily inspiring.”

“He showed me, through example, that I have to put myself through hell since I have vowed to reach the top and that I must surpass him at his prime to become the Undisputed World Champion.”

Heron has excelled in his short boxing career and has learned very valuable lessons along the way.

HONING SKILLS

“I won the 2020 Novice Amateur Lightweight Championship, fought many exhibitions, made a name for myself in my communities before I went professional in boxing, and I have continued to hone my skills. Boxing is a sport where comfort can kill you, literally, if you let it.”

But Heron was using his innate boxing skills very early in life even though for the wrong reasons.

A victim of bullying, which began in primary school due to a speaking disability (lisp), Heron would fight to dissuade others from abusing him.

“The boys made the most fuss about it, and whenever they attempted to get physical, since I would follow the adults’ advice and ignore them most times, I would be forced to use what my dad taught me to overcome the bullies.”

Things changed for the better for Heron when he met Jevoy Prince while at DeCarteret College.

“I met my big brother Jevoy (not related by blood) who taught me a lot more about life and how to talk a lot more clearly.

“I went on a journey of self-improvement, and part of my self-improvement was to learn how to stop being a bully magnet. My big brother (Jevoy) always supported me and gave advice that usually helped me well. My Dad helped, too,” he shared.

Heron is preparing himself both physically and mentally for what it will take to become a boxing world champion.

“Boxing has brought me different teachers over time. With each, I have learned something different that translates to real life. Boxing has taught and reminded me about resilience mostly. Sometimes when things seem the toughest, that’s the best moment to surpass your limits and keep going forward and onward towards what and who you want.

The welterweight had expected a tougher fight from his opponent on debut but showed him some amount of respect, nonetheless.

“Honestly, with how hard I trained for my professional debut, I never expected the fight to be that easy. I felt like a tiger playing with a mouse. He did well, at least attempting to bite back, though I felt nothing, but I can still respect the attempts,” he said.

Heron is not resting on his laurels after one win and is preparing for his next fight in the Wray & Nephew Fight Nights series with total conviction.

The Wray & Nephew Fight Nights series, which began last month, is set to whet the appetites of boxing fans all the way into 2024.