LYNN — Khiry Todd doesn’t shy away from challenges.
A Lynn native and professional boxer, Todd, undefeated at 7-0, hasn’t hesitated from signing up to go toe-to-toe with top-notch opponents.
On May 5 at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Todd will face one of his biggest challenges yet when he steps into the ring with Lawrence’s Adrian Sosa. But Todd has full confidence in himself as he prepares for the fight.
“I know he’s an undefeated fighter from Lawrence,” Todd said of Sosa, who’s 6-0. “He’s tough. They say he has punching power but I feel he hasn’t been tested. I feel that he hasn’t been tested by a fighter like me before.”
Todd and Sosa will battle in the junior welterweight division, at a 143-pound catch weight. The bout will last six rounds. Todd, who has tallied five knockouts, most recently defeated Samuel Vazquez in a unanimous decision Jan. 26.
“I’m in a good rhythm right now,” Todd, a Lynn English alum, said. “I’m learning as I’m going. I’m learning a lot about myself as I go through each fight. Sometimes I have an injury but I have to fight through that. With this fight, I definitely feel I have an experience advantage that he doesn’t have. I feel that I have the edge but I still have to put the work in.
“I’ve been around this game since I was 12 years old,” Todd added. “I’ve seen top fighters and how they perform when the lights are on. I’ve seen Floyd Mayweather three times and learned how he carries himself. I’ve tried to put myself in that same mindset. My last three fights, I’ve been tested. I’ve had to fight harder and harder.”
In preparing for the bout, Todd trains five to six days a week. His first step is a 3- to 5-mile run each morning. Every other day, he spars with his training partners for three hours.
“I’m not doing anything special, I’m not changing what I do,” Todd said. “I just train hard like I always do. I’m focusing on small details. I’m looking for the small mistakes that he does that I’ll capitalize on.”
As the fight quickly approaches, Todd’s plan is to ramp up the intensity in his training sessions. Todd trains at Tomasello’s Boxing Club in Saugus with trainer Joe Ricciardi.
“We’re working at a steady pace right now,” Todd said. “We’re fighting a six round fight, it’s his first six round fight and my third. In the next two weeks, we’ll bring the training up in intensity. A week before the fight, we’ll drop it down a bit and that helps me keep it fresh by fight night.
“I have a great relationship with Joe,” Todd added. “We’ve had 13 amateur fights and seven pro fights. Through all our fights together, we’re still learning on the job.”
Todd isn’t fazed by the pressure that comes with maintaining an undefeated record. His focus is fully dedicated to putting himself in the best position to win.
“There’s pressure because you want stay undefeated,” Todd said. “I try to take it one fight at a time. I focus on fighting each fight and not the records. There’s a lot at stake when I think about it that way but I just try to focus on fighting and winning.”
Tickets for May 5’s bout cost $45 and can be purchased by contacting Todd at [email protected].
