By Christopher Torres
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 7:50 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2011
Posted: 7:39 p.m. Monday, July 25, 2011
A year ago, amateur boxer Steve Geffrard was doing his 5 a.m. training runs in Boca Raton.
Now he’s doing them in Hollywood, Calif.
Instead of training at the Boca Police Athletic League, he is working among professionals at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, a gym owned and operated by trainer Freddie Roach.
Geffrard, a 20-year-old graduate of St. Andrew’s School, has been on the West Coast since May, preparing for the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials that start Sunday in Mobile, Ala.
Last year, he became the first heavyweight and second amateur to win National Golden Gloves, National PAL and U.S. Nationals in the same calendar year. He ultimately was ranked as the top U.S. heavyweight by USA Boxing.
Geffrard plans to return to his studies at Nova Southeastern University, but not yet. For now, he is focused on reaching the 2012 Summer Games in London.
If he wins at the trials, which conclude Aug. 6, he would make the U.S. team.
The 10 winners in Mobile will represent the United States in an Olympic qualifier this fall in Azerbaijan.
Delaying his college work was a clear-cut decision given the chance he has to reach the Olympics.
"There’s a possibility I can never do this again, so I definitely have to take advantage of it," he said. "Not too many people can say, ‘Hey, I went to the Olympics representing my country.’ "
The U.S. Olympic boxing team will be coached by Roach. Geffrard does his 5 a.m. daily run with one of Roach’s fighters, junior-welterweight champion Amir Khan.
Khan fought for the United Kingdom in the 2004 Olympics and won a silver medal. He defended his junior-welterweight title against Zab Judah last Saturday in Las Vegas, scoring a fifth-round knockout.
Geffrard said training with Khan is an advantage because his workouts are geared for 12-round fights. At his level, Geffrard fights three two-minute rounds.
Beyond that, Geffrard fights at about 200 pounds and Khan at 140.
"If I can stick with him then these three-round fights should be a breeze," Geffrard said.