Junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez, 16-0-1 (14 KOs), a promotional free agent fighting out of his native Springfield, Massachusetts, wants to compete on the big stage.

First, he’s scheduled to fight atop a card at home in Springfield on April 26th against Yusuph Metu, 11-1 (8 KOs), at the MassMutual Center.

Velazquez is yet to fight a broadly recognizable name or take part in a 12-round bout, but he has high ambitions.

“I’m not calling out locals, I want the big dogs,” the 28-year-old Velazquez said in a press release. “I now have the experience to fight outside of my comfort zone. I’m a fighter and that’s my mindset. There’s always room to improve. I want to learn every day and my coaches are always working on a few new things.

“I want people outside of New England to know what I can do. I won’t be overwhelmed because I train with talented, experienced fighters in the gym. I want to be world champion. Even though I’m 5ft 10 ½ins, someday I’d love to fight Sebastian Fundora.”

Velazquez is coached by experienced cornerman Hector Bermudez, who has worked with world champions and currently trains welterweight Rohan Polanco, 15-0 (10 KOs).

“Anthony is on the verge of moving into the national scene,” Velazquez’s advisor Gunther Feingold commented.  “He has improved dramatically over the past year and will be a difficult challenge for any of the other hot prospects at 154.”

Proud of his Boricua heritage – his father and mother were both born in Puerto Rico – Velazquez is inspired by Miguel Cotto and Tito Trinidad. His father Carlos once trained at the same gym as Cotto in Caguas, where his family is from. Carlos is also responsible for his son getting into boxing, though he didn't pursue it professionally himself due to his place in a truly enormous family.

“My dad was an amateur fighter, but he didn’t go pro because he had 24 brothers and sisters,” Velazquez noted. “I forced him to bring me to the gym when I was in the sixth grade. My dad taught me how to box and after the first time I went to a gym, I haven’t left it. I learned that there are no good excuses for not going to the gym every day. I was a good baseball player, a shortstop, but I always wanted to box, and I stopped playing baseball in high school. All I want to do is box. I love it!”

Velazquez is a self-described counter puncher. The blemish on his record is a disputed 8-round split draw with Rashid Stevens nearly two years ago, in which the scores diverged wildly: 80-72, 74-78, and 76-76.