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Fighters Young and Old Go Head-to-Head at Villa-Parke’s Boxing Show Last Weekend

Published on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 | 5:34 am
 

Villa-Parke’s renowned Annual Boxing show brought over a hundred amateur fighters from all over California this past weekend to compete in the ring and get a taste of the spotlight. With fighters ranging from age eight to fifty-four, the park’s community center was packed to walls to see these fierce men and women push their bodies to the limit in the name of America’s oldest competitive sport.

“The experience was electrifying,” said Fausto De La Torre, Villa-Parke’s Boxing Specialist.

The boxing show is an yearly display of some of Pasadena’s hardest-working and aspiring boxers. It allows boxers of all ages to match up with out-of-city opponents who want to get in the ring and make it count.

For many young boxers, the annual boxing show serves as their debut match, while others may have much more experience under their belts. Either way, it is a platform for talent to surface under the microscope of community spectacle which was well attended.

“The crowd echoed through the entire facility. The show of support was amazing,” explained De La Torre.

De La Torre’s longstanding after school boxing program is where these athletes commit months of training to hopefully match up and put their skills to the test at this annual competition. This event brought 150 boxers to Villa-Parke, many from several hours away, to register to fight at the 2016 Boxing Show. Out of the eleven students from De La Torre’s program that registered, four were successfully matched up and able to step in the ring with a total of 21 matches throughout the day.

“We could have matched up 30 bouts, but ultimately couldn’t because of time purposes and the high turnout,” explained De La Torre. “We make sure we are fair in matching up the fighters appropriately according to their weight, age and level of experience.”

All of the fighters were given three rounds to come out with a win, which lasted between one and half and three minutes per round depending on their experience. According to amateur boxer and attendee Nick Carranza, the young fighters were hungry for victory.

“The kids definitely didn’t hold back. They were fearless,” said Carranza.

Of the four fighters from Pasadena that were able to compete, the youngest fighter Humberto Robles proved to be the rising star that De La Torre aims to shape through his dedicated program. At 17 years old, the boxing show was Robles’ eleventh official match as a fighter. Rightfully so, he took home the win and put on a good fight.

“He’s at the stage where he now displays the skills we teach. He is a colorful fighter who is definitely a 2020 Olympic hopeful,” explained De La Torre.

From young talent like Robles that showed a promising future in the sport, older fighters proved that they still have the fire inside and passion for getting in the ring despite their age.

“Seeing the guys in their fifties get on the canvas and step up to the challenge was captivating. This is why we do it. We the guys to get in there and experience the adventure that boxing brings,” said De La Torre.

Pasadena Police Chief Philip Sanchez was in attendance to administer awards to participants. Every fighter received an award as an appreciation for their participation in keeping the tradition of the sport alive and well in Pasadena and surrounding areas.

Villa-Parke’s Annual Boxing Show accomplished the incredible feat of showcasing a year’s work of sacrifice and dedication into an exciting six hour event for the city to see. The blood sweat and tears that these dedicated fighters brought with them under the lights and in the ring is an experience that Pasadena will continue to host for years to come.

Whether it’s for the young talent who seeks a career or it’s the older men who to value the health benefits from staying active, the level of talent that comes through the doors remains uncompromised to say the least.

In case you missed it, the fighter’s in the Villa-Parke program will be heading the the Police Activities League (PAL) Boxing Tournament June 20-25 in Oxnard to keep the competitive fire going and to bring home more victories for the city of Pasadena.

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