SoCal Amateurs Headed to Tucson

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“Desert Fisticuffs” THIS Saturday!

It’s gonna be a real shoot out in the Arizona desert as a team of Southern California amateur boxers are packin’ up to go “lace ’em up” at the first ever “Desert Fisticuffs Boxing Show” taking place THIS Saturday, May 28 at the The Riverpark Inn in downtown Tucson.

This amateur showdown is a fundraiser for the Tucson Wolf Pack Boxing Team and will feature 11 teams facing off to see who’s really “Best in the West.” The host club is the 6th Street Gym, and the headquarters of the Wolf Pack athletes.

SoCal fighters taking part in this weekend’s USA Boxing show will be youths from the Burbank Boxing Club, Pasadena Boxing Club, Fabela Chavez Boxing Club and Ten Goose Boxing Gym.

Traveling the 500 miles to take part in the fireworks are several area coaches and boxers from the Los Angeles region. “All the guys have been really looking forward to the trip,” says Coach Steve Harpst, head trainer from the Burbank gym and also a former Tucsonian.

“Last summer, Bill Krauter, a family friend of ours, took me over to the 6th Street Gym where I first met Ed Torrejon, the gym director there,” he explains of their upcoming adventure. “Then a few months ago Ed asked us a if we’d like to come out and bring a team to compete in the show.”

Harpst, who first founded the BBC 16 years ago, has traveled around the U.S. and internationally with young amateurs. This time he’ll be taking boxers Damien Lopez, Adam Lopez, Hector Lopez and Jesse Villanueva, who had also competed in a previous trip to Canada with Coach Steve.

This Memorial Day weekend will be a memorable one as the teen sluggers from the local boxing clubs will have a chance to be matched up against some of Arizona’s best boxers. There will be both open and novice bouts with male and female boxers scheduled to fight.

I caught up with the Wolf Pack’s Head Coach and Manager Ray Mitchell as the desert clash nears. Coach Ray is a former amateur and pro fighter who fought Orlin Norris and was also a sparring partner. The ex-cruiserweight spent time in many training camps as a sparring partner for Michael Dokes.

Now he is dedicated to training the kids and young adults at the Tucson gym, where they pride themselves on “community, honor, discipline and team work.” The Wolf Pack will be well represented in the upcoming cactus showdown.

“Sherry Whetten will be fighting here on my card; she’ll be going to the women’s nationals in Colorado Springs,” Mitchell says. “And this will also be light heavyweight Darryl Brown’s last amateur fight before he turns pro!” Brown is a former Golden Gloves Champ who looks to make his name known in the pros.

Coach Ray Mitchell trains both amateurs and pros. He’ll even be coming out to California next week as one of his pro fighters is scheduled to fight in Woodland Hills. “My fighter Juan Suazo will be facing Artur Bernetsyan on June 3,” the busy boxing coach mentions as we chat about his upcoming plans.

But first and foremost is the big fundraising show that he and Ed Torrejon have planned–with the proceeds going to the hungry Wolf Pack team of talented amateurs.

“The show is a fundraiser for our club. We’ll have a lot of bouts–it’s gonna be a long day but a great time!” Coach Ray tells me, as the teams are set to arrive. “We have 11 teams confirmed–including California!”

And the California team of trainers and boxers are all very excited about this journey to the Grand Canyon state.

Along with Coach Steve along with Burbank’s “Big Steve” Vasquez, David Lopez, and Pasadena Coach Fausto De La Torre from Villa Parke will also be making the trek out west with his young boxers as the SoCal boys look to bring home team victories. Special guest also attending will be California Hall of Fame 2006 Inductee, former World Boxing Hall of Fame President and World Boxing Council Advisory Committee Member Dr. Joe Noriega.

Good luck to all the boxers and see you at the fights!

Desert Fisticuffs Fundraiser
Amateur Boxing Show
The Riverpark Inn
350 South Freeway
Tucson, AZ
85745
First Bout 2:00 P.M
General Admission 10.00
Ringside 12.00
Gold Circle 15.00
For more info: www.tucsonwolfpackboxing.org

Photos by Michele Chong

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