Amateur Club Hosts Back-to-Back Shows
The epicenter of action was in the City of Ontario as Crossroads Boxing Club hosted back-to-back weekend shows this month.
Check out my photos from Sunday’s boxing show which offered nine bouts of fireworks. Young fighters from age 10 to 25 laced up to square off in the very last SoCal amateur show of 2014. It’s been a busy time for the successful gym operated by Bernie Valenzuela.
Valenzuela, gym manager Frank Martinez, and the Crossroads crew including Daniel Lopez (who served as the event’s emcee) hosted a special Friday night bash and this Sunday afternoon show taking place on December 21. Friday’s gathering featured VIP tables, sponsors and celebrity guests including former champs and pro fighters Mike Weaver, Henry Tillman, Jonathan Arellano, and producer Ryan Moore (new Manny Pacquiao film “Manny”).
Sunday’s show featured Olympic gold medalist Henry Tillman (current trainer), amateur star Jasmine Singh, Hector Lopez and Adam Lopez (boxing sons of WBC champ Hector “El Torero” Lopez) and other rising stars in the sport like Roxonie Verduzco lending their support ringside. Coach Rodrigo Mosquera (who just got back into town from the Gary Russell Jr. pro fight in which he cornered) also had fighters (a group of young siblings) at the show.
The sluggers came from near and far including athletes from Hollenbeck, Garage Boxing, Burbank Boxing Club, Eddie Heredia, Palm Springs Boxing Club, ASG Boxing, Team Let’s Get It along with the host gym, Crossroads, who had four boxers in the lineup. The show had a DJ, special effects, snack bar and impromptu dance recitals during the intermission. And during the matches, all eyes were on the kids and teens facing off inside the ropes.
The main event was a great scrap between Crossroad’s Martin Urias, 18, and Burbank Boxing’s Damien Lopez, 19, with the teens going at it for a tough and entertaining three rounds. Lopez won the bout earning the first-place trophy of the day.
Whether the amateurs win or lose, this state-of-the-art gym has been instrumental in the community in offering at-risk youth a way out of gangs, drugs and crime. Learning the discipline of the sweet science helps keep them on the straight and narrow path. I enjoyed visiting this gym (nicknamed the “Lion’s Den”) located in the historic area of Ontario.
Working and volunteering their time at this last amateur show of 2014 was the always-dedicated team of USA Boxing officials, judges, referees including Dick Jones, Delilah Rico, Dominic Serna, Michelle Serna, Stella Livingston, Sonya Livingston, Don Livingston, Ralph Vega and more.
Crossroads next show is being planned for January 2015. Don’t miss it!
It’s your chance to see some of Southern California’s best talent and future champs.
Congrats to all the fighters and see you in the New Year!
Photos by Michele Chong
