Leonard Dorin Doroftei
MONTREAL (CP) - In 1998, Leonard Doroftei left his home in Ploiesti, Romania, determined to become lightweight boxing champion of the world. On Jan. 5 in San Antonio, Tex., the stocky, five-foot-four boxer, now fighting under the name Leonard Dorin, will get his chance when he challenges Argentine champion Raul (Pepe) Balbi for the World Boxing Association lightweight belt.
"This is exactly what I expected when I came to Canada - to fight for a world title and become a champion," said Dorin. "I turned professional because I believed I could become champion one day, sooner or later."
Dorin, 31, was recruited by veteran trainer Yvon Michel for the Interbox group in Montreal, which also has WBC super-middleweight champion Eric Lucas of Ste-Julie, Que.
Michel had watched in admiration when Dorin was compiling a 239-15 record as one of the most feared amateur lightweights in the world.
Dorin won bronze medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics, won European championships in 1996 and 1997 and was world amateur champ in 1995.
"When (owner) Hans-Karl Muhlegg started Interbox, he asked me which fighters I wanted and I said: 'Stephane Ouellet, Eric Lucas and Leonard Dorin," said Michel.
"I've known him since 1992. Everyone was afraid to draw him in a tournament because he was so good. When we heard he was available, that he was at a turning point in his career and wanted to turn pro, we made him an offer."
Since moving to Montreal, Dorin has compiled a 19-0 pro record, including impressive victories in his last two fights against highly rated American opponents Martin O'Malley and Emanuel Bertin. The wins should place him in the top 10 in the next WBA rankings.
He also applied for Canadian citizenship, which he expected to receive in 2002. Dorin and his wife Monica a six-year-old son Adrian, who was born in Romania while three-year-old Nicolas was born in Canada.
"I feel like I've been in Canada, in Montreal, all my life now," said Dorin, who still struggles with English and French. "I believe in Canada, in Quebec”.
"After four years, I feel that if I had to do it again, I would do it."
Still, news that he would fight for a world title hit the headlines in Romania. He is bidding to become only the second boxer from that country to win a world pro title, after Michael Luw, who took the WBO middleweight belt in 1994.
Dorin honed his technique as an amateur and added punching power, superb conditioning and tenacity as a pro.
"He's a really good fighter," said boxing trainer and television analyst Russ Anber. "He's strong, he's mentally determined and he has an extensive amateur background”.
"He made a commitment to achieving something in pro boxing and he's doing that. He wants to win, and that showed especially in his last two fights. He's not the biggest puncher, but he wears you down."
Michel called Dorin "the strongest lightweight out there."
Balbi (48-4-1) won the WBA belt in a majority decision over Julien Lorcy of France in Paris on Oct. 8. He is considered the weakest of the lightweight champions, behind Jose Luis Castillo of the WBC, Paul Spadafora of the IBF and Artur Grigorian of the WBO.
"Balbi likes to attack," said Michel. "His left hand (jab) is particularly dangerous.
"This will be the toughest fight of Leonard's career so far, but he's always been able to rise to the occasion for big fights, as an amateur and as a professional."
Dorin has never seen Balbi fight.
"I don't need to know the other guy," he said. "I know what I have to do."
Michel described Dorin as a moody fighter, who can show up for training one day angry at everyone and the next day smiling at the world.
"He's a very passionate person," said Michel, who has opted to have Dorin continue to train at the Interbox gym at the Claude-Robillard Centre in Montreal before the fight.
Lucas, ever in danger of distraction from friends, sponsors and media, likes to train at a secluded camp in northern New York state before a fight.
"Leonard is a family man who isn't happy to be away from his kids," said Michel. "Eric has so many friends - he needs to get away."
Dorin's success prompted Interbox to sign another Romanian, light-heavyweight Adrian Diaconu, who is also from Ploiesti, 65 kilometres north of Bucharest. Diaconu is 5-0 as a pro.
Another, Crinu Olteanu, the 1999 amateur junior lightweight champ, fought once as a pro in Canada in June, injured a hand, and is on a leave of absence back in Romania.
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source: http://www.ici.ro/romania/culture/index.html
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Copyright © Consulate General of Romania 2004
