Surrounded by family and reminders of his loved ones, Ashton “H2O” Sylve showed off the skills that have made him one of the sport’s most highly touted prospects during a workout in front of Southern California media on Wednesday. The training session was a warmup act before Sylve, the youngest prospect signed by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, faces Braulio Rodriguez of the Dominican Republic in an eight-round lightweight bout in the co-feature of the Paul vs. Anderson Silva pay-per-view on Saturday October 29 at Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena) in Glendale, Ariz., just outside of Phoenix.
The Paul vs. Silva event is co-produced by Most Valuable Promotions and SHOWTIME PPV® and is available now for purchase in the United States at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME® app for a suggested retail price of $59.95 (SRP). Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. The official promo for the event was inspired by the 1983 cult classic Scarface and is available to watch and share HERE.
Sylve (7-0, 7 KOs) entertained media at the JackRabbit Boxing Academy in Long Beach, Calif., on Wednesday under the direction of his father and trainer, Ivan Sylve as they prepared to face the big-swinging Rodriguez (20-4, 17 KOs).
The 18-year-old Sylve’s affection for his family was on full display on Wednesday – from the presence of his father to the way Sylve honors his late great grandmother, who died in September and shared a close bond with Sylve. Her name, Elzina Marie Strauss, is inscribed on Sylve’s shoes and he trains to the steady tempo of her favorite old school R&B songs, as he did on Wednesday to Anita Baker’s soulful ballads. Another reminder of his love for family came in the form of his baby sister, who gamely tried to emulate her big brother as he jumped rope and shadow-boxed in the ring.
Here is what Ashton and Ivan Sylve had to say on Wednesday:
ASHTON SYLVE
“It feels great to fight on the same card as Jake Paul. I finally get to showcase my skills on a big platform in front of everyone. I plan to continue my winning streak, hopefully by knockout. I feel like Rodriguez doesn’t have the same conditioning as me. I’m cut from a different breed.
How have you been preparing to face a more-experienced fighter?
“I’ve been training to fight 12 rounds since I started boxing, so it’s nothing new. I’m just gaining awareness of certain tendencies my opponent has and that’s the main thing we’re preparing for.
“I’ve been stepping up the competition since I started boxing. I started at 16, so that was a big step right there. This fight is keeping me on the right track. I feel like we found our preferred opponent, so that will keep me moving in the right direction.
“On the back of my shoes is my great-grandmother’s name with the date she was born and the date she passed away. She took care of me, my friends, and the entire neighborhood. She was a huge part of our family and working out to the music she enjoyed listening to has been extra motivation for me.
“For me, when I’m away from family, it’s a distraction. Family is everything. When I’m working out with my little sister, it makes training fun and motivating.”
IVAN SYLVE
“Ashton’s skills and poise set him apart. He’s not like any other young fighter. He takes his time and does not rush for a knockout; he lets it come. We know what he can do, and his performance on October 29 will prove that to the world. He will answer everyone’s unanswered questions on the world stage.
“Finding balance as a father and trainer started off rough because, of course, as a dad you want the best for your kids. When Ashton was young, it got overwhelming for him because I would take it home. We studied film and talked about things that he messed up on and things he could improve on. At one point, he really didn’t have a childhood because it was boxing, boxing, boxing. Around the age of eight or nine, he told me he wanted to quit because he was overwhelmed and tired of me yelling at him. So, I listened, and we came to a compromise. I told him I would change up if he did not quit, because we’re not quitters. We train at the gym, and I promised to leave it at the gym. Then, when we get home, it’s dad time.”