Ralston dropping weight class for this fall
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Cheektowaga super middleweight Les Ralston will drop down in weight when he continues his career this fall. File photo

Cheektowaga super middleweight "Lightning" Les Ralston is looking to live up to his nickname by adding speed and keeping his power when he drops down in weight class this fall.

The Tonawanda native and Sweet Home High School graduate (16-2, nine knockouts) has spent his entire career at middleweight (160 pounds) or super middleweight (168), but feels the move to super welterweight (154) will provide more opportunities.

"I've been working on my diet a lot," the 26-year-old said. "I've been talking to a few people to tweak my diet a little bit, and they feel I could be a lot stronger at 154 without being too weak from losing weight. I'm definitely going to be able to get down in weight and I'm still going to be strong."

Ralston's last fight was a second round TKO victory over Mickey Stackhouse a year ago in Greensboro, N.C. in a four-round bout.

His career has hit two major roadblocks since he turned pro in 2002. He's had trouble getting fight, which would explain his 10-month layoff in 2003 and 2004, and a psychological condition that gave him severe stage fright. Both of Ralston's losses, to Sergio Mora in 2004 and Lenord Pierre in 2005, were his only televised fights.

"I would over-try in my fights. And I worked on that by seeing a sports psychologist," he said. "He helped me to tweak how I think about a fight. "Instead of trying to do too well, I'm just trying to have fun. I'm way more prepared for my upcoming fights."

Ralston has sparred lately with Paul "The Punisher" Williams, who recently won the WBO welterweight title.

He's looking to get his career back on track by fighting 10-round bout, which he's never done, and get back to fighting three or four times per year. Since his loss to Mora, he's fought just four times in 39 months.

"It all depends on what happens and how big the fights are," Ralston said. "I'm moving right into 10-rounders and maybe small title fights. Once you're fighting 10-rounders, you wouldn't want to fight more than four times a year."

Ralston has fought primarily out of North and South Carolina, but is in the process of lining up a fight in Buffalo later in the year.

"That would be great," he said. "The closest I've fought to Buffalo is Rochester. And my pro debut was in Syracuse. It's so nice to fight in my own home town. I'm excited for something to happen here."

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com