Justin Figueroa (9-0, 7 KOs) will be looking to make it 10 straight wins when he steps into the ring at the Tropicana on Friday.
The Atlantic City native has been boxing professionally for three years. Before he hung up the gloves, the junior middleweight was a standout football player at Holy Spirit High School and once dreamed of playing college football.
Figueroa spoke candidly about his dreams and the reality of being at that stage in life.
“My grades were bad,” he says, “my GPA wasn't good enough. I wasn't focused in high school. I was a little misguided when I was younger. The scholarship offers I dreamed of never materialized.”
After graduating from Holy Spirit University in 2017, he attended Rowan University for one semester before beginning his boxing career.
He believes his father's love of sports sparked his own interest in the science of sweets.
“My dad was always watching the games, and I think watching the games with him as a kid is what instilled in me a love of the sport,” he said.
Figueroa started boxing to lose weight after playing football, weighing 200 pounds at the time and at one point going up to 215 pounds.
While going to the gym, he noticed he was doing well in the ring against fighters far more experienced than him, and that's when he decided to put everything else on hold and focus solely on boxing.
He is the very definition of a professional. It's his only job. Long gone are the days of lifting heavy weights or trying to build muscle for football. His fighting weight is 154 pounds.
Figueroa loves swimming, so leaving his job as an Atlantic City Beach Patrolman was tough, and he enjoyed spending his summer days working on the beach and helping people, something he did for six years.
He may have quit his job as a lifeguard, but he hasn't given it all up: In addition to boxing training, he still swims and paddleboards when he can.
“Swimming and paddleboarding are great ways to build strength and cardio,” Figueroa said.
Figueroa is excited to be working again with boxing insider Larry Goldberg, who he believes helped solidify his nickname.
“Larry's a good buddy,” Figueroa said. “The funny thing is, he's the one who popularized the name Mr. Atlantic City. I put it on Instagram like any other fighter or influencer would, but I was called 'Just in Time,' and I loved that, and Larry said, 'No no, you're Mr. Atlantic City,' and that's how it really took off.”
Goldberg echoed the sentiment.
“Justin's a great kid. He's a role model for kids in Atlantic City,” Goldberg said. “He could have chosen a different path, but he decided to make a positive impact on his community. He's someone kids can look up to. He has charisma. He has star quality.”
“Justin is a pleasure to work with,” he added. “He has a good team behind him. His manager, Jolene Mizzoni, is guiding him in the right direction. She's a first-class manager who knows boxing inside out.”
Inside the ring, Figueroa is on a nine-fight winning streak. He fights from an orthodox stance and loves watching videos of Vasiliy Lomachenko, the most decorated boxer of all time and a likely Hall of Famer.
“Romo is very technical, in and out, footwork. I've probably watched all of his games,” he said.
As Figueroa's career continues to grow, hitting double-digit wins would be a big step. Reaching 10 wins would open new doors. If he continues like this, it won't be long before he's on the rankings of sanctioning organizations, maybe even competing for a regional title.
Justin Figueroa summed it up well in his own words: “This is my job. I'm 100% focused on doing what I do best. I'm aiming for the stars.”
As of this writing, Figueroa is scheduled to compete in the co-main event before a heavyweight clash between Otto Wallin and Onoriode Ewarieme.
Catch all the action at the Tropicana on Friday, and make sure you arrive “just in time” so you don't miss Mr Atlantic City, Justin Figueroa.
