The Drive of Fidel Navarrette

By Bill Hillmann

Kenneth Sims Jr. has lived a charmed life as a boxer. Mentored by his father from early age, Sims has developed incredible skill in the ring-compiling 171 victories and multiple-Junior National titles as an amateur. He was amongst the first to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Box-offs by winning the 132lb division of the National Police Athletic league tournament at the age of 16 this past fall. Heading into this year’s Chicago Golden Gloves Sims was not only favored to win the local Open Division title but was a favorite to bring home the National Golden Gloves crown at Lightweight as well. ESPN Chicago profiled Sims before the finals; in the article he was called a “(Floyd) Mayweather starter-kit” by Ted Gimza former co-owner of the Windy City Gym and a longtime board member of the Chicago Golden Gloves Charities. As you may have expected, there was a mass exodus of fighters from the 132lb open division heading into the Chicago Golden Gloves this year. One boxer didn’t flee the weight class for safer territory, a fighter by the name of Fidel Navarrette. “(Fighting Sims) was a perfect challenge,” said 20 year old Navarrette. Navarrette had treaded a much different path in his pugilistic career. A Mexican immigrant, Navarrette began boxing in the Mountainous region of Michoacán Mexico at the age of 14. He made the Michoacán traveling boxing team at 54kg. After his immigration to Chicago, Navarrette began training with his now head-coach Danny Escudero and later with Sam Colonna at Chicago Boxing Club. Fidel is a diligent gym-rat, consistently developing skills and pushing his endurance. In training he looks to be a slick, sharp, boxer-puncher though when he steps through the ropes a Mexican-style warrior erupts from within as he barrels ahead engaging in Eric Morales-esc exchanges. With all the buzz surrounding Sims, Navarrette wasn’t just battling an excellent boxer but a hype-machine, a mountain-range of confidence, and the aura of a fighter on an sizzling-hot streak of 19-straight wins. Mike Cericola (Fidel’s Friend/Manager) understood the circumstances and advised Navarrette that he needed to win every-single second of the bout in order secure the victory, and team Navarrette readied to do just that. In preparation for the bout Cericola, drove Navarrette to the Robert Taylor Homes on Chicago’s Southside to spar with the swift, Shawn Simpson in order to ready Navarrette for the national-caliber speed he was sure to encounter with Sims. “We watched a lot of tape and knew he would be a difficult, quick, south-paw with great defense. The only opening my coach and I saw was to the body,” said Navarrette. “Before the fight no one believed in me. Everyone in the crowd thought he would win.” From the opening bell Navarrette stepped straight to Sims and rattled off non-stop combinations, refusing to give the younger fighter even a millimeter of space to breath. Navarrette’s hooking body attack became the definitive storyline of the bout; and by the 2nd Sims began to wilt-fatigued by the constant barrage to his abdomen, ribs, and liver. With the stand’s cheering slowly swaying away from the favorite, Sims made an uncharacteristic mistake and delivered a deadening low-blow which sent Navarrette reeling to the canvas. Sensing it was a ploy on Sims’ part to catch a breather, Navarrette’s head-trainer Escudero screamed from the corner for Navarrette to ‘Get Up!’. Navarrette glanced over at his corner, took a deep breath, and struggled through the pain to his feet. The referee asked if Navarrette was sure he was ready to continue, Gordan Tech’s gymnasium was roaring as Navarrette nodded and the ref said ‘fight’. Navarrette pummeled Sims’s torso for the remainder of the bout and by the conclusion, the entire gymnasium was on their feet, roaring. The thunderous packed house at Gordan Tech was appeased as the decision went to the Cinderella story of this year’s Chicago Golden Gloves-Fidel Navarrette. When Navarrette was asked what he’d like to say to all of his naysayers now that he’s the Champ, he humbly and simply spoke, “They should never underestimate a contender because you just never know what can happen in the ring.” Due to a technicality Navarette will not compete at the National Golden Gloves, instead a humbled Kennith Sims Jr. will take his place and likely progress deep into the tournament, if not capture yet another National crown. In a few months Navarrette will make his professional début, some may say ‘he’s no Morales’ (and he may not be, just yet,). But as he embarks into prospect-land, high on his victory over an Olympic contender; Fidel Navarrette will do so backed by a distinguished amateur pedigree and a belief that anything can happen.