Olympic Hopeful at COMIKAZE EXPO 2011!
The first-ever Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center was a KO success. Held this past weekend, the inaugural show celebrated all things pop culture including animation, sci-fi, gaming, comics and so much more.
I had a chance to check out this brand new event, which is now being tagged as a “mini Comic-Con” complete with thousands of costumed attendees adding a festive mood throughout the venue. One pound-for-pound highlight of the show was the special appearance of female amateur star Patricia Manuel and world-renowned airbrush artist Brian “Tazroc” Garcia.
The boxer and the graffiti artist were a big hit as Tazroc had a cool impromptu studio set up in the venue.
The “art of the sweet science” was on display as I watched the artist put the finishing touches on a portrait of Patricia “Cacahuate” Manuel. Nicknamed “Peanut,” the 18″ x 36″ painting is a likeness of the tough slugger who has set her sights set on the London 2012 Olympics.
Next summer will be the first time ever that women are allowed to compete in the sport of boxing. And the bespectacled Long Beach boxer plans on being there.
I caught up with both Tazroc, Patricia and Team Peanut at the comic expo.
They explained the new artwork will be made into prints and showcased as a fundraiser to assist the amateur star in traveling and training expenses and physical therapy. Fans and supporters will be able to purchase their own copy of the Tazroc piece through Manuel’s site PeanutBoxing.com
I asked the artist how long he’s been working on the portrait.
“I started it last week and I’ll be finishing it today,” Tazroc said of his demo. His airbrush art has been seen on many forms of media including walls, cars and canvas.
He also loves boxing. Tazroc tells me his daughter was an amateur boxer and he’s friends with trainer Freddie Roach. It is his work that graces the Wild Card mural often seen on TV. While I watch him work, Tazroc also mentions his Muhammad Ali painting which is featured in his studio.
Now he’s partnered with the Cacahuate camp to help raise funds to keep Manuel’s Olympic dreams alive.
Patricia first began boxing at age 17 as an overweight teen hoping to drop some pounds. As she thrived in the sport, she racked up many championships along the way. Now in her 20s, the fierce fighter (who sports a Mohawk and a tattoo shouting “Put ‘Em Up”) recently competed in the National PAL Championships in Ohio. She told me she may try and fight in December and also plans on going to the USA Women’s Boxing Team Trials in February and hopefully the China competition in May 2012.
During the Olympics, there will only be three weight classes for the female boxers to compete in.
Luckily, Manuel’s 132-pound weight division is one of them.
As I visit with Patricia (who’s outfitted in a purple “Cacahuate” shirt) and her pals Kermit and Nick, we chat about both amateur and pro boxing.
Training with Robert Luna, first in Commerce and now currently at The Rock, the National Golden Gloves champ has had 62 bouts during her career.
As women’s boxing has not reached the same popularity or acclaim as men’s boxing, I ask Patricia who she considers are some of the best pro female fighters in her weight division. The lightweight names Puerto Rican fireball Melissa “Huracan” Hernandez and Peru superstar Kina Malpartida as two top talents in her division.
We also talked about the Alfredo Angulo–James Kirkland fight where Kirkland pulled off a big upset against “Perro,” the challenges female athletes face, and the upcoming second season of The Matadors amateur boxing contest. The World Series of Boxing competition features pro-style rules, no headgear and no jersey. I wondered how Manuel felt about that.
She smiled and said, “I’d love that!” After her amateur career, the fighter says she wants to go pro, eschewing the protective headgear and larger gloves.
Manuel is now training alongside the All-American Heavyweights at The Rock boxing gym and after being hampered by injuries, the Ringside World Champ and Pan-Am Silver Medalist hopes to have a bangin’ new year as she and her team keep their focus on the Olympics. Patricia has been hit by myriad of mishaps and surgeries, most recently healing a shoulder injury. But never did her desire to make the Olympics wane.
We chatted about the new Olympic “reload” men’s matches installed by USA National Coach Joe Zanders. This gives boxers a new chance or a second chance to earn a spot on the Olympic team. Manuel thinks this is a great idea as all the U.S. boxers will face the toughest international competition as well.
And while girls are finally being “allowed” to enter the Olympic Games, there’s been a buzz over the issue that some want the female athletes to wear skirts while boxing!
Team Cacahuate gives me their opinion at this latest dust-up in amateur boxing circles.
“Do you think the women boxers should have to wear skirts in the ring?” I ask. The critics says skirts are necessary to distinguish the sexes.
Her friends mention that female athletes competing in track do not have to wear skirts. So why should women boxers?
Patricia adds, “It should be OPTIONAL! If you want to wear a skirt, you can. But it should be up to each individual boxer if they want to wear one or not.”
Whether or not Manuel is required to wear a skirt if she makes the Olympics remains to be seen.
But first things first. The young woman is determined to earn a spot on the U.S. team.
“Peanut” Manuel lost her first three amateur bouts. Back then she refused to give up–or give in.
Now with her sights set on the 2012 Olympic Games, she will continue to aim high in making her dreams come true.
As we finish our conversation, Tazroc’s work of art is complete. The boxer says she loves it and sends a photo of it to her mother–who also raves about it. And Patricia’s determination in making the Olympic team is clearly evident in Tazroc’s new painting of her.
Looking focused, lean and mean the amateur lightweight is ready.
Photos by Michele Chong