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La Colonia Youth Boxing Club as told by Manuel Herrera:
I first got involved with La Colonia Youth Boxing Club in 1990.
I read in the newspaper that World Champion boxer Thomas Hearns
was going to be guest of honor at a fundraiser to benefit La
Colonia Boxing Club. I never thought that someone like Thomas
Hearns would come to Oxnard but sure enough, Thomas Hearns was
there. At the end of the event Fred Block, who was the one
responsible for that event announced that he was looking for
volunteers to help raise funds for La Colonia. I decided to
volunteer for one year. (Little did I know that 16 years later
I would still be doing my part to help publicize this great
gym.) It was then that I meet a very young Robert Garcia and
Fernando Vargas. Who would have thought that Robert would turn
out to be the first boxer from Oxnard ever to win a World Boxing
Title. If that wasn't enough, Fernando became the first boxer
from Oxnard to ever compete in the U.S. Olympics. To this day
La Colonia has produced two World Champions; Robert Garcia and
Fernando Vargas, and two Olympians; Fernando Vargas and Carlos
Martinez. La Colonia has also produced countless National and
Silver Glove Champions. Well, actually Robert has been very busy these days. He is currently the trainer for several 'HOT" prospects as well as having trained some very famous boxers such as female pro boxing sensation Mia St. John and five time World Champion Johnny Tapia. Some of the "HOT" prospects are NABA Bantamwight Champion Jose Aguiniga 29-0 14 KOs rated #2 WBA, #9 WBC, ; Rolando Reyes NABO Lightweight Champ 26-3-2 16 KOs rated #14 IBF and #8 WBO; Victor Ortiz 13-1 9 KOs; Brandon Rios 11-0 9 KOs; and of course there is Miguel Angel Garcia, Roberts little brother who won Best Male and Most Outstanding Boxer of the six-day, 31st Annual National Police Activities League Boxing Championships last year and who will be turning pro on July 14th. Miguel recently graduated from Pacifica High School with a 3.8 GPA and is considered a very hot prospect. He also recently signed with World famous promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank Inc.
Keep checking back for updates on our fighters.
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