Annual Amateur Show Draws A Crowd
The 2019 Blue & Gold Tournament was recently held at the Compton Sheriff’s Youth Activities League (YAL) in Southern California.
It was a three-day competition that brought out hundreds of amateur boxers from all around the U.S. This annual show is always a big hit and this year’s event featured some very close battles as they all fought for victory.
USA Boxing’s Dick Jones, Joe Zanders, Delilah Rico, Dominic Serna Sr., Michelle Serna, Pat Zanders and more were kept busy during each day of the bouts. It was all ages and levels of competition (novice and open, males and females) as the combatants went toe to toe.
I checked out the action on Sunday the last day of the matches. Trainers were wrapping their students’ hands, coaches were doing mitt work and the officials were all readying for another round of fights. Some familiar faces included unbeaten pro Jonathan “Diamante” Esquivel (12-0, 11 KOs) and former champ Virgil Hill (51-7, 24 KOs); both men were there training their amateurs.
Coach Joe Zanders showed me around the gym which he credits to the Sheriff’s Youth Foundation in Los Angeles County. It’s a haven for kids to keep them off the streets while learning self-defense and skills in the ring.
Some of the young pugs have Olympic dreams and/or a career in professional prizefighting as they continue to grow in the sport. It is definitely a tough sport as I watched the winners rejoice and the defeated bow their heads, vowing to come back stronger. Wearing headgear and using larger gloves, the amateur athletes gave it all inside the ropes. As with anything, not everyone will make it to the big leagues. Only the rare few find fame and fortune. But for now, they will hone their craft in the sweet science one jab at a time, one round at a time.
And win or lose, they are learning life lessons inside and outside the ring. Respect to each and every fighter that climbs up the steps waiting to face their opponent. And congrats to all the champions at the 2019 Blue & Gold!
Photos by Michele Chong
