'Urban Cowboy' not horsing around Native Texas boxer finds way to SanMateo in order to take his game to the next level

Unlike a lot of fighters, however, Urban does not let that upbringing define him. In fact, he's doing everything in his power to prevent it from happening again and boxing is his avenue.

A relatively soft-spoken, well-spoken, well-mannered Texas native, Urban found his way out west and hooked up with San Mateo's Westside Boxing Club owner/trainer Pat Ragan. A seemingly natural-born fighter, Ragan is adding the technical aspect to Urban's aggressive, brawling style in hopes of taking Urban to the top.

"This kid is hungry,” Ragan said. "This is his way out. … This is something he enjoys doing. He's very trainable. He's accepted that training with open arms. He learns quick.”

Urban owns a 7-4-1 record with five knockouts in the cruiserweight division (176 to 200 pounds). He will face Lamont Williams (4-1) Friday night in San Rafael in a scheduled sixround bout. Williams already has a knockout win over Redwood City's Juan Hernandez.

"This fight here, this is not going to be an easy fight,” Ragan said. "We didn't buy this opponent (a reference to fighters hand-picking opponents they believe they can beat). We may be coming in as an opponent.

"I guarantee you, Lamont Williams is going down. There is no doubt about it. I feel so confident about it. He will be on the floor at some point. Will he get up?”

A heavy-handed, right-handed fighter who has the ability to switch stance and fight southpaw, Urban got his start in the fight game in non-sanctioned contests in Texas bars. He paid his five-dollar cover charge, signed up to fight, signed a waiver and stepped into the ring.

And destroyed the competition.

"I never lost,” Urban said of his eight fights, all of which ended in knockout wins or stoppages for Urban. "I was so nervous, I'd take a shot of whiskey before going into the ring.”

Shortly thereafter, Urban had knee surgery to correct an old football injury. As he lied around rehabbing his knee, he put on about 30 pounds. When he was given the clearance from his doctor to resume normal activities, he went to a boxing gym, mainly to get back in shape.

"I started sparring with guys and was holding my own,” Urban said. "I was putting it on guys. That was the turning point.”

Urban decided he wanted to be a professional fighter, trained for six months and had his first pro match.

Urban, 27, has been a fighter his whole life. Growing up in the a rough part of Dallas, he and his family were often the only white people in the neighborhood. Urban got into his share of scrapes just sticking up for himself.

When his parents divorced, he moved with his father to a small town between Dallas and Houston and immersed himself in sports — football, basketball and baseball. All the while, he still found himself squaring off against anyone who wanted to test him.

"For me, fighting was nothing,” Urban said.

"I've never had a problem throwing down.”

There is a certain "wow” factor to Urban in the ring. His early fights showed a raw, yet willing, combatant who wanted to give fans their money's worth. He found he enjoyed the adulation and the fan response when he puts on a good fight.

He said one of his first goals when he walked into that boxing gym in Dallas was to get his picture on the wall of the gym. After winning his first fight with a knockout, that goal was met.

"(The best part is) just the entertainment,” Urban said. "I like to fight in front of people and show them my heart.”

That was less than three years ago. Because of the tight-knit family that boxing is, word of Urban's exploits eventually made its way out to California, where friends of friends got him in touch with Ragan.

Ragan saw some video of Urban fighting and, other than the sheer rawness of Urban's game, Ragan believed he could mold Urban into a real boxer.

After talking with Urban, he came away more impressed with him as a person than as a fighter.

"He's a humble kid. He's not this arrogant guy,” Ragan said. "He was very humble and very open to what we wanted to do.

"We have a wonderful relationship. He helps out at the gym, helps out with kids (in the classes). He knows what it would mean to him as a kid for someone to come over a teach him how to throw a punch properly. He's built a great rapport with the kids and everybody else.”

Like most fighters trying to make it, Urban finds himself holding down an everyday job as well, working at Whole Foods Market in San Mateo. He worked for the company in Texas and they obliged him with a transfer to the Bay Area.

He was working full time but cut back is hours at the market to spend more time training and focused on his boxing dreams.

"Whole Foods has done a lot for me,” Urban said.

Now, Urban spends most of his free time at WBC.

"The first week Brent was in here, I asked him about his (previous) training,” Ragan said. "I told him, ‘From this point forward, you're going to be treated, and feel, like an elite athlete. You are a pro boxer. We're going to treat you like that.'”

Which at this point in his life is all Urban wants.

"I have a lot of power and a big heart and a willingness to never quit, no matter what happens,” Urban said. "I had the power and heart for it (boxing), but I didn't have the technical ability. I was pretty content (training in Dallas). I didn't know there was so much technicality to it (boxing).

"It's been a good fit (with Ragan).” Said Ragan:

"He has heavy hands. But you can learn the finer skills of throwing power punches. Now that he's learned to do that, now those heavy hands have gone up a notch.”

Urban and Ragan are hoping to do the same with Urban's boxing career — take it up a notch.