SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Charlie Sheehy had one of his best performances as a pro – and it only came after he took ownership of his career.

Sheehy stopped Cesar Juarez in the seventh round of a lightweight bout scheduled for eight rounds here at Orange Pavilion on Saturday.

The Juarez fight was the first since July for Sheehy, 11-0 (6 KOs). A top amateur who turned professional on the Mikey Garcia-Sandor Martin undercard in 2021, Sheehy is now 26, entering his fourth year as a pro. A native of Brisbane, California, he spent his entire camp in Florida with trainer Javiel Centeno, something he has done for many fights – though this one was a bit different.

“I had a tough past year with everything outside of boxing,” Sheehy told BoxingScene. “I let a lot of shit out of my control get to my head.”

Sheehy has been working with a sports psychologist since the start of his career, but he credited the work he has done over the past year specifically for his growth. 

“We are focusing on the things I can control,” Sheehy said. “I knew I was making mistakes and I had to do a 180 on some of the things outside of camp.”

For instance, Sheehy hadn’t been strict about his diet in the past and would enter camp having to get into fighting shape. He even saw a fight in May against Manuel Jaimes canceled due to weight complications.

Meanwhile, Juarez, 31-18 (24 KOs), represented a tough veteran who would test Sheehy’s focus and preparation. A 33-year-old veteran of Mexico City, Juarez has faced a lot of top names, including Nonito Donaire and Angelo Leo.

But against Juarez, Sheehy passed the test. Early on, Sheehy was quick to the punch and sharp on defense. Juarez walked forward, unwilling to give an inch. In the middle rounds, Sheehy seemed to conserve energy by moving patiently around the ring, landing clean and concise punches. That all led to the seventh-round stoppage, when Sheehy put his punches together and forced referee ​​Gerald White to intervene. 

“I had to hold myself accountable,” Sheehy said. “I turned my career around and I feel it showed tonight.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.