J’Leon Love talking trash at the Mayweather Boxing Club

By Chris Robinson

It was a little over two years ago when Inkster, Mich. native J’Leon Love first walked through the doors of the Mayweather Boxing Club.

Still fresh to the city after taking a risk and moving across country in late 2011, Love soon found himself embedded in Floyd Mayweather’s training camp as one of his chief sparring partners ahead of his May 2012 duel with Miguel Cotto. Little did he know how much his career was about to be changed.

After helping Mayweather in training, Love was taken under the pound for pound star’s wings and has since seen his name thrust into the headlines as one of the faces of Mayweather Promotions.

With the added exposure has also came the realization of how big of a stage he is on, yet Love has shown himself to be completely up to the task thus far.

Having overcame adversity to hand Marco Antonio Periban a unanimous decision loss in his biggest fight to date on May 3, Love (18-0, 10 KO’s) now finds himself creeping closer towards a desired title shot.

Read below for some thoughts from Love as he discusses the Periban challenged in-depth while also reflecting on some of his most vivid memories over the past few years while grinding and chasing his dreams in Las Vegas.

Overcoming Marco Antonio Periban…
“Man, there was a lot on the line. Periban has been in some big fights. People say I wasn’t fighting nobody and he was a name to beat. And it put me in a position to do bigger things in this game. Tough contender; strong, much bigger than me. He caught me in the fifth round with a good shot and I was able to bounce back and take him to school.”

Don’t count me out…
“He just caught me with a good shot. And it buzzed me. But I was ok. He just came with an onslaught of punches. I knew if I got my time, got my head together, that I’d be ok. Because I was boxing him much easier than I thought I was. Don’t count me out. That’s all I can say. I got the will to win and I had to make the proper adjustments and that’s what I did.”

The move to Las Vegas in late 2011…
“I boxed out of Detroit, Michigan. I’m from Inkster, Michigan. There really were no doors opening there for me. And I knew, what better place to go to than Las Vegas? So I had to make the proper steps, save my money, and come out here. Just to up and leave is hard, you know? And being in this crazy world, you never know what it’s going to be like. I never lived or knew anybody out here but a couple of boxers. But it was a great move for me.”

Getting situated in a new city…
“I kind of knew a guy that did some fake check stubs. He actually helped me apply for the apartment and made me qualify where I can get the apartment. I had no credit, no nothing to my name but a cell phone. I didn’t have too much but thanks to him, he helped me out. I had no car, so I was catching the bus. It was just crazy, but I didn’t care. I knew it was something I wanted to do and I had to do it.”

Early days training in Las Vegas…
“I first went to the H.I.T. Factory and they showed me a lot of love. There was a lot of guys there, the whole H.I.T. Factory camp. And I was there working. That was it. I didn’t know where Floyd Mayweather’s gym was, I didn’t know nothing. They just happened to actually give me a call; Boza Edwards, to come in and spar for the Cotto camp. And that’s when I got directions to the gym.”

First day at the Mayweather Boxing Club…
“I had to catch a bus there. It was crazy, when I actually got the call, I had to find a bus route that gets me there in time to spar. I would get there maybe an hour and 30 minutes early and they was telling me to come in about 2:30 and Floyd wasn’t coming in until about 6 o’clock. I had been waiting all day to spar. It was crazy but it was an opportunity of a lifetime.”

Studying Floyd Mayweather in training during the Miguel Cotto camp…
“You know what? He always just thanked us for being in there working and helping him out. After, he started speaking to us and telling us a lot. Just what it took, what keeps him driven. I just took all of that. Then, just watching him. Watching him the mitts and the bag for like an hour and 30 minutes straight.”

Learning from a mentor…
“It’s nothing that I’ve never heard of, but coming from a guy like Floyd Mayweather, it really sticks to you. Being that I’m from Michigan, he’s from Michigan. If he gives you some advice, it’s going to stick with you.”

All worth it…
“Go back and look at Jim Carrey’s story and Jamie Foxx’s story and all those guys. They all struggled in the beginning, but look at them now. It’s worth it at the end of the day. This is all worth it. And the end of the day I think about that and I just continue to grind.”

Chris Robinson can be reached at CRobinson@hustleboss.com