Legendary boxing champion Evander Holyfield recently appeared at a special Meet & Greet at the Duarte Teen Center in Duarte, California.

The heavyweight great was on stage along with the World Boxing Council (WBC) and WBC Cares’ Jill Diamond and Jose Antonio Sulaiman, Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano, City of Duarte Mayor Vinh Truong, Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Cesar Garcia, Ahmed Sheikh, among others.

The April 27 gathering was an empowering event for the youth and teens in attendance. A crowd of over 225 people listened in as the world champ spoke about his humble beginnings, a tough childhood and fighting through adversity to make it to the top in his sport.

Congresswoman Napolitano (31st District of California) was also honored on stage as she was surprised with her own green and gold WBC championship belt in appreciation of her dedication in working with the WBC and the U.S. Congressional Mental Health Task Force to bring awareness in mental health and to help and support those in need. She has been a staunch advocate with WBC Cares since 2014 and has been in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1999.

She has been a force and a “guiding light in the fight against mental health,” Diamond mentioned during the speeches.

Napolitano was there with her sons, who also love the sweet science.

I chatted with Grace’s son Ed, who told me how much he and his family loved watching boxing. It was part of his upbringing and seeing his mother and beloved Congresswoman receive her own WBC belt was a very special moment to watch unfold. He said he and his family are so proud and honored that their mother is being recognized with such an outpouring of love and respect.

And this ceremony also ushered in May’s Mental Health Awareness Month so the timing of it all was a perfect KO.

Fans at this fiesta had a chance to take a photo with the boxing icon as Holyfield met the kids and their parents inside the Duarte Boxing Club Gym. The gym has been a part of the amateur boxing scene for many years now with trainers trainers Victor Valenzuela and Louie Valenzuela teaching the youth the art of self defense.

The guests also had the chance to see the Tamaulipas special-edition belt that Canelo Alvarez would go on to win in his fight against Jaime Munguia on May 4. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman and his organization had announced that Canelo or Munguia would be the new owner of the beautiful handcrafted belt. The Duarte Meet & Greet was the very first time the championship strap was unveiled in Southern California.

The champ was in town for his induction into the National Boxing Hall of Fame and while he was in L.A. also took the time to visit the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and UCLA BrainSPORT and the UCLA Boxing Team.

And in Duarte, there was a line of people who wanted to meet the champ, shake his and and get a quick selfie. The famed Olympian stood across from the boxing ring, smiling for photos and greeting his fans. The “Real Deal” Holyfield is a hero to so many who have watched his fights through the decades. Since his retirement from the ring, the boxing superstar has given back to the community and continues to inspire and encourage others.

Also in attendance and lending support was Master Sergeant Timothy Edwards and the Los Alamitos Cadets from the Sunburst Youth Academy, Duarte Boxing Club’s Louie Valenzuela, boxing trainer/manager Steve Harpst, boxing champion Zack Padilla, City of Duarte Outreach Coordinator Anthony Hadloc and more.

I talked to some of the teen cadets right after they go to meet Evander. They were so excited to see the Hall of Famer and to hear words of encouragement from the multiple world champion. They said they knew they were going to an event but didn’t know that the legend himself would be there!

All in all, it was a knockout event with WBC Cares, Evander Holyfield and Congressman Napolitano.

Photos by Michele Chong