A Knockout Day in the Park
Former World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Bantamweight champion Paul Banke recently hosted his annual picnic in Covina, Calif. The Hall of Famer (21-9, 11 KOs) celebrated his 3rd Annual BOXFAM BBQ for all his friends and family who traveled near and far to be part of the summer get-together. Here’s my exclusive report from the day!
Former World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Bantamweight champion Paul Banke recently hosted his annual picnic in Covina, Calif. The Hall of Famer (21-9, 11 KOs) celebrated his 3rd Annual BOXFAM BBQ for all his friends and family who traveled near and far to be part of the summer get-together. Here’s my exclusive report from the day!
It would be impossible to name every person who came out to this yearly party in the park.
But there were many former champions, ex-fighters, young amateurs, boxing trainers, USA Boxing officials and more attending the gathering including Danny “Little Red” Lopez, Alex “The Bronx Bomber” Ramos, Ruben Castillo, Zack Padilla, Sindy Amador, the “Boxing Triplets” Troy Weaver, Lloyd Weaver, Floyd Weaver, Mike Anchondo, Gregory Puente, Richard Torrez Sr. (father of current Olympic boxer Richard Torrez Jr.), Ruben “The Maravilla Kid” Navarro (with co-worker Richard Hansen and daughter Melissa), Melvin Perez, etc.Also joining the fiesta were boxing coaches Robert Ortiz Sr., Steve Harpst, Anthony Huizar, Tony Ruiz, Erick Estrada, Nars Martinez, Larry Ramirez, Manny Nava, Martin Noriega, Antonio Ramirez, boxing officials Melanie Ley, Rick Ley, RED Boxing promoter Rey Rodis, photographer Ray Navarette (South Paw Photography), author Chris Smith (Eder Jofre: Brazil’s First Boxing World Champion), Just Boxing Foundation’s Sean Fitzgerald, Retired Boxers Foundation’s Jacquie Richardson, Bumptown singer Lil Andy Rojo, Duarte Boxing’s Louie Valenzuela, Grampa’s Boxing Gym’s Cary Hashimoto, Ruben Lucero (son of fighter Willie Lucero), BOXFAM supporters Paco Perez, Jose Palacios and Gil Madrigal and so many more as the steady stream of guests began in the morning and continued well into the evening.
Banke and Angela Stanfield started bright and early to set up the annual bash at Covina Park. The food was a KO for all with so many delicious choices. There were several food stations including Team Ruiz Boxing’s tasty Taco Bar and John and Tricia Prendergast’s sizzling BBQ area. Anthony Huizar brought a beautiful cake commemorating Banke and BOXFAM. And former International Female Boxers Association (IFBA) World Light Flyweight champ Sindy Amador brought trays of fresh fruit along with a special granola dessert.
Guests did not go hungry.
And during the July 17 party, there was also plenty of dancing with tunes courtesy of DJ Phillip Guerrero (Work-It Records). Leading the spirited line dances were Olga Camacho (former freestyle wrestler and current fitness coach) and Sindy “La Alacrana” Amador. Alex Ramos also showed me his moves while we did some Salsa dancing and a little Merengue too!Everyone showed love and support for host Paul Banke (who is the subject of the critically-acclaimed book Staying Positive by Paul Zanon). Smiling and joking, Banke greeted everyone with a hug and was in constant motion while making sure everybody met everyone else while socializing in the picnic area. His mother Yolanda Miranda was a special guest at the BBQ and I also met Paul’s cousin Irma Jaimes Meza who drove across the country to be there in person.
Anyone who knows Paul knows he wakes up before the crack of dawn, loves his social media, dotes on his beloved dogs and is passionate about building his BOXFAM brand. The ex-prizefighter has battled AIDS since 1995 and knows how to appreciate life. He calls those close to him his “brother” or “sister” and has created a strong foundation of loyal friends and fans. The former fighter rarely stood still while at the park.
It was a huge turnout and a knockout day. There was a lot of joy as people mingled and many remarked this was the first time being in a crowd post-pandemic. The common thread of the conversation was, of course, the sweet science. The boxing brotherhood–and sisterhood–was quite evident at this year’s Paul Banke BBQ.
When the Weaver Triplets arrived at the party, Paul was one of the few who could identify each one by name. Former fighters Lloyd, Floyd and Troy are the younger brothers of champion Mike “Hercules” Weaver and made a splash in the SoCal scene when they were all lacing up. Banke’s known them for years and somehow always has a knack for instantly recognizing who’s who.
And as I visited the various tables, there was more laughter, plenty of conversation and good vibes across the board. People commented how nice the day was in bringing all the generations together. Veteran fighters took photos with young amateur boxers; former rivals dined together and swapped stories from the past; and boxing officials marveled about knowing many of the pugilists for decades and watching them grow up.
USA Boxing legend Melanie Ley told me she knew many of the pro champs when they were little kids and duking it out in the amateur ranks. She has dedicated over 33 years of officiating and her memories are incredible. Time flies by so quickly and the thousands of athletes she’s seen compete could fill a stadium. When “Mighty Mike” Anchondo arrived, he greeted Melanie with a big hug. She knew him as a young amateur before Anchondo turned pro at age 18.It was great to see everyone connecting or reconnecting having not seen each other for years. If you’re in the fight game long enough whether it’s in the amateurs or pros, you meet a lot of people at amateur shows or the live pro fights. Sometimes it’s hard to catch up and chat with boxing pals as the action takes place in the ring so the picnic was the perfect opportunity just to relax, socialize and eat!
After retiring from the ring, Banke has remained a frequent face in Southern California boxing circles and beyond. His compadre Alfred Godinez mentioned the two will be traveling to Texas for the Vergil Ortiz-Egis Kavaliauskas fight and then to Las Vegas for the Manny Pacquiao-Errol Spence clash.
Paul thanked everyone for coming out to his BBQ and says we’ll do it all again in the Summer of 2022!
Photos by Michele Chong
