Back from the Brink: Interview with Shawn Sarembock

Shawn Sarembock, now 8-0 with 8 KOs, found himself on a potentially disastrous path as a teenager. "I was rebellious, a trouble maker," he told The Jewish Boxing Blog in a phone interview. His teen years were filled with "drugs, drinking, and girls."

At the age of 19, Shawn had an epiphany while staying in a house filled with drug addicts. "What am I doing?" he said to himself. "I called my dad to pick me up, and we started training again the next day." Shawn immediately stopped using drugs.

Born on January 11, 1991 in California to South African parents, Shawn spent two years living with his mother in Tel Aviv, Israel after his parents divorced. He then moved back to the United States to live with his dad, Neil. A champion kickboxer whose dreams were derailed after suffering a freak injury in sparring, Neil transitioned to training boxers and studied under the tutelage of Hall of Famers Jesse Reid and Jackie McCoy at the Westminster Boxing Club in California.

When Shawn was four years old, Neil began teaching his son the sweet science with hand pads. The training continued until Shawn's life spiraled out of control. When he began training again as a 19 year old, "Boxing was like riding a bike," Shawn remembers. "It all came back to me." But it wasn't all easy.

Shawn started living in his father's gym in a Mexican section of Phoenix, Arizona. He slept on a mattress on the floor in the gym's office. He showered at a local gym and washed his clothes in a neighborhood laundromat where Spanish was the primary spoken language. "It's a cliché about boxers: without boxing we'd be either dead or in jail. But for me, it's true," Shawn explains.

He spent two years focusing on the fundamentals with his dad. "It took time to get my coordination back," he admits. He had his first amateur fight in 2012. Only eleven more would follow.

"I have a patient style. I like to take time to study my opponents. I felt very rushed in the amateurs," Shawn reveals. Amateur matches are three rounds and the scoring system rewards activity, not the best situation for a deliberate boxer-puncher.

Turning pro in 2019, Shawn has shown tremendous poise in the ring as a prizefighter. When opponents such as Adrian Zendejas, who Shawn fought last year, come rushing in throwing bombs, Sarembock exudes calm under pressure. "I have to be prepared for anything," Shawn says. "In training, I'm conscious of the fundamentals- my hand-placement, my footwork- until it becomes second nature. So when the lights come on, I'm ready for anything."

Shadowboxing contributes immensely to Shawn's preparation for a fight. He envisions his opponent while working on his technique. He notes the old trainer's maxim, "A trainer can tell how good a guy can be after watching him shadowbox for five seconds." It's his favorite way to prepare for a fight and believes it's the most helpful.

Shawn's next fight is tentatively scheduled for December 16 in Tijuana, Mexico. As with his eight other pro bouts, Shawn will likely go into this one without seeing film on his opponent. "When the first bell goes, I try to figure them out. I take it as it comes. I feint to see their reaction, and I'm making mental notes."

Because he has faced hardships and nearly lost it all, nothing in the ring can bother him. Undefeated, Shawn Sarembock is ready for anything.

David Alaverdian to Fight on November 11

Super flyweight David Alaverdian is scheduled to fight on November 11 in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico at the WBC's annual convention. A name being mentioned as a possible opponent is undefeated prospect Angel Geovanny Meza Morales.

A 29 year old native of Netanya, Israel, Alaverdian (6-0, 5 KOs) last fought professionally in April. He was supposed to fight on October 8 in Jackson, Mississippi, USA, but his opponent Artrimus Sartor came in drastically overweight and wouldn't accept a rehydration clause.

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada in the U.S., Alaverdian will fight in Mexico for the sixth time. "It's nice, and actually the support I get there for being an Israeli is quite surprising," David told The Jewish Boxing Blog in an Instagram Live interview earlier this month. "Mexican people are great fight fans, great boxing fans. Not once have I had a bad experience there."

Angel Meza, nicknamed Rayito, is a 22 year old from Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. He boasts a record of 4-0-1 with 4 KOs and deserved to win the lone draw. Meza had his first two fights against nondescript opposition just before covid-19 turned into a pandemic. He won his third fight in November of 2020. After a 14-month layoff, Rayito stopped Jesus Alberto Rojas, who was 2-0 at the time, in the fourth round this past February.

Meza's last fight occurred on August 27 against José "Durán" Pérez in Tijuana. He began tentatively against Pérez, who came in with a solid 11-3 record. Meza mostly looked to land hard counters during the first half of the six-rounder. By the third, though still reluctant to lead, Meza pressed forward. No longer wary of Pérez's punches, Meza let his hands go in the second half of the fight and battered his more experienced foe. Only one judge saw it for Meza though; the other two scored it a draw.

Against Pérez, Meza aimed to either parry or time Pérez's punches. Strictly a counterpuncher during the first half, he loaded up on his shots in the second part of the fight, rarely throwing combinations until he was in complete control. Meza showed a potentially devastating- if inaccurate- left hook to the head and an equally damaging and more accurate left hook to the body. But he rarely jabbed and didn't set up his offense.

There are a few ways to combat a counterpuncher. One is to throw combinations, something Alaverdian does regularly. Another is to get in and out fast, which David can do effectively. Changing angles can also negate counters. In a phone interview last month with The Jewish Boxing Blog, Alaverdian, who switches stances, said that while his strength as a righty is his power, his best attribute as a southpaw is his angles.

In his pro fights, Alaverdian has often kept his hands low. "If a person is fast, I keep my hands up," David told The JBB. Against the hard-punching Meza, that would be wise. While Meza has a lot of ability and talent, this bout could see him shell up if Alaverdian's speed becomes overwhelming.

Stefi Cohen Off Ontario, California Card

Stefi Cohen had been scheduled to fight tomorrow at the Lumcolor-Phoenix Center (formerly the California Education and Performance Arts Center) in Ontario, California, USA against Kedra Bradley, but her fight has been cancelled.

Cohen's fight was removed from BoxRec earlier in the day. The Jewish Boxing Blog contacted the promoter of the show, Red Boxing Promotions, but did not receive confirmation. Later in the day, the promotional company released photos of the "Weight In" as it called it on its social media pages, although no weights were provided. Cohen and Bradley were not pictured and did not weighed in. Cohen laer said that her opponent pulled out of the fight at the last minute.

Cancelled fights, particularly around the weigh-in, are unfortunately quite common in boxing. Cohen has endured her share of proposed bouts that have vanished into thin air. Some boxers have financial backing, but most have to pay out of their own pockets to train and and travel to their fights. Cancelled fights are frustrating for all involved, from the boxers to the fans.