Brass Band: Munguia gets a loud start to a new phase of his career Boxing News

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By Norm Frauenheim –

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Roofs come at all different angles. Joey Dawejko has walked them all and never fallen off one.

“I have pretty good balance,” said Dawejko, who is a roofer when he’s not being a heavyweight.

It's the balanced heavyweight who will test another balanced up-and-comer, Richard Torrez Jr., on Saturday night in an entertaining co-main event on ESPN-televised Top Rank at Desert Diamond Arena with super middleweights Jaime Munguia and Erik Bazinyan.

Dawejko (28-11-4, 16 KOs) should be a pretty good test of Torrez's credentials, which include a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a perfect record (10-0, 10 KOs).

“He's a big prospect, silver medalist and all that,” said Dawejko, who weighed in at 244.1 pounds at the official weigh-in at Desert Diamond Arena on Thursday. “I think it's the right time in our careers for this fight. Of course, Top Rank called me to test this guy. Accepting this fight was easy for me because I've been there before and I'm used to different styles.

“I’m ready to show him how the professionals work.”

Dawejko, who appeals to the working class in all boxing fans, has the same extensive experience as Torrez. Torrez, from Tulare, California, continues to take dance lessons.

“For my footwork,” he said.

Now his course load has been increased.

“Tennis lessons,” said Torrez, who weighed 232.6 pounds on Thursday. “When you move to hit the tennis ball, you have to do even more footwork.”

Dawejko learned most of his footwork on roofs. Flat roofs, pitched roofs. He's walked on all the roofs as the owner of his own roofing company in his hometown of Philadelphia. He named it after his ring name. After the fight, he will return to Tank's Knockout Roofing.

“I focused on training throughout the camp,” says Dawejko, who wears a tank logo on his T-shirts and hats.

Torrez is expecting a great fight.

“A really cool fight,” he said. “I don't think we'll take too many steps backwards.”

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