Who says the sport of boxing is “dead”?

Boxing in the Southland is alive and well as I evidenced at Sunday’s amateur show held at the Young Champions Boxing Gym in San Fernando. The event was hosted by fight veterans Rodrigo Mosquera and Gloria Alvarado Mosquera. During the day, some of the “Best in the West” showcased their hooks and jabs with a huge crowd cheering them on. Pro fighters Richard Rodriguez, Robert “Scrappy” Ortiz, Katarina De La Cruz were also there to lend their support for those lacing up. And it’s not always easy to get a match.

The amateur fighters hoping to be on the card have to report in for same-day weigh-ins beginning at 9 a.m. You have to be a dedicated athlete to keep on the grid of this nonstop amateur schedule with local club shows every weekend. Amateur weigh-ins are often heated with all the trainers clamoring for a matchup with too many fighters overflowing the brackets. Once the lucky ones get on the board with an amateur bout, the minutes and hours slowly tick by as the fighters try and stay focused.

Welcome to the world of amateur boxing.

For casual fans that only watch superstars such as Mayweather and Pacquiao on PPV megafights, the rhythm and pace of amateur boxing is uniquely different from the pro ranks. Here’s a look at one of the weekend shows, just one example of the countless shows that dot the SoCal boxing scene.

Held at the private new gym Young Champions, spectators filed in to watch 20 scheduled bouts for the day. I could feel the adrenaline of the boxers as they warmed up and had their hands wrapped. The gym was buzzing with friends and family all waiting to see their favorite warriors fight for a trophy.

The age range of the sluggers began at 10 years old all the way to 31 years young. The teams came from near and far to take part in this amateur bash. Fighters from L.A. County to Ventura County including amateurs from Oxnard, Hollywood, Burbank, South El Monte, Simi Valley, Pacoima, Glendale, South Central L.A. and more made the scene. During breaks in the action, I chatted with many of these camps, all hungry to see their pugilists learn and grow in the ring.

I’ve met an endless stream of young boys and girls who have climbed through the amateur system, earning a boatload of belts, trophies and medals on their way to Olympic dreams or professional victories. I remember when pro fighters Randy Caballero, JoJo Diaz, Frankie Gomez, Daniel Franco, Xavier Montelongo Jr., Seniesa Estrada, Gary Salazar and others were amateur standouts; their talent shined early on.

But you never know when you will find a “diamond in the rough,” the next star to capture the attention of boxing fans around the world.

Amateur shows such as Sunday’s offering are a necessary part of the fight game. And the sport continues to grow with USA Boxing constantly registering new hopefuls throughout the U.S. At the Young Champions gym, I saw a loyal group of amateur referees, judges and volunteers who dutifully put in long hours to oversee these amateur bouts. USA Boxing’s Dick Jones, Delilah Rico, Stella Livingston, Elisa Fajardo, Sharon Sands, Ray Chavez and others are familiar faces who I run into at almost every show I attend. Their passion for the sport never drifts and their watchful eyes make sure safety is the top priority for kids and teens stepping in the ring.

The amateurs wear headgear, tank tops and slip on heavier padded gloves, but they brawl and bang with as much heart as any veteran pro.

Some of the best and most spirited fights happen during amateur shows. They only have three rounds to showcase their skills so the intensity and urgency is always there. One of the great things about amateur boxing is that with the frequency of shows, the youngsters could fight every weekend, therefore any defeat can be eased quickly as the punchers have to prepare for the next battle.

During the intermission at this San Fernando gym, I spoke with gym owners and husband-and-wife team Rodrigo and Gloria Mosquera. Both are veteran trainers and cornermen. Coach Mosquera has trained both amateur and pros and currently has Francisco Vargas, Vic Pasillas and Richard Rodriguez training at Young Champions. Gloria’s family has been involved in combat sports for decades; she is the niece of Blinky Rodriguez and Benny “The Jet” Urquidez. Fighting is in their blood. Gloria’s daughter Roxonie is a 12-year-old dynamo in the ring.

There were generations of fighters at the gym. Prizefighter (and the day’s ring announcer) Katarina De La Cruz also has a child who is following her path inside the ropes. Her son Ole Alvarez squared off against Burbank Boxing Club’s Sergio Valenzuela in a action-packed scrap that had the crowd roaring. The sons of WBC champion Hector “Torero” Lopez are also amateur boxers. Hector Lopez Jr. and Adam Lopez will continue the legacy their late father began. And three generations of Team Ortiz were there with Robert Ortiz Sr., Robert “Scrappy” Ortiz Jr. and Timmy “Kid Hollywood” Ortiz representing Kid Gloves Boxing Gym.

Shows such as these feature the same faces so these gatherings are like a reunion of sorts. I’ve known a lot of these people for years. The trainers are the same and I get to see the fighters get taller and more mature with every passing show.

And while talking to the Mosquera couple, they agree that it’s the shared passion for boxing that brings everyone together. Both speak of their love of boxing and their commitment to training and helping the youth. This is their second show of 2014 and they have more plans in the future.

“We work with a lot of at-risk kids in the community and we have fighters as young as 4 years old to pros,” Rodrigo explains. “We opened in January of last year and our gym offer a friendly environment; we treat everyone as an equal.”

The show did have a friendly vibe, even among the fighters competing. I saw many of the combatants shake hands or pose for photos together after their bouts, win or lose. But don’t get me wrong, it’s still boxing and tempers do flare on occasion. Of course, at every show I see angry coaches not happy with decisions, fired-up parents upset over their kids’ losses and the littlest boxers crying in defeat. But that’s also what makes the drama of amateur boxing so great. For the teams showing up each weekend, boxing is their life and they take it very seriously.

“Boxing is my life,” Rodrigo nods. “I love training everyone from amateur to pros,” he nods.

The Mosquera pair also helm the new Team Mosquera Boxing Management and they will have a busy schedule as Rodrigo tells me of upcoming fights for Francisco Vargas, Richard Rodriguez, Vic Pasillas and Gary Russell Jr. this month and April. He also trains boxers at the Eddie Heredia Boxing Gym. It was all over the news feeds recently that Rodrigo Mosquera was fined and suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for a glove issue at a pro fight last year. But this suspension (through September) for pro work doesn’t seem to deter the forever veteran from staying and working in the sport he loves.

Gloria and Rodrigo say they also take time to give back to their community. They had a Thanksgiving event to feed the homeless and a big toy giveaway in December. A new new series called “12 Rounds” is also a new project for them. Gloria thanks many of the sponsors who have helped the gym and the amateur kids who focus on boxing instead of turning to gangs or drugs. She introduced me to Michael Guadalupe from Family Tax & Insurance Services, who sat ringside for the fights. Gloria and Rodrigo said they’re grateful for the support of local businesses in the city.

And the shows have been a big hit in the San Fernando Valley with a standing-room only crowd filling the room. Some of the bystanders told me that their friends had to watch from outside the windows since the gym was bursting to capacity.

So who says the sport of boxing is dead?

Just try telling that to the grizzled vets training the wide-eyed hopefuls with dreams of making it to the pros. I look into the faces of these amateurs and I see the same desire, hunger and drive that I see in seasoned pros.

Many of these young amateurs will continue to thrive in the sport. A handful will become amateur champs, a fortunate few may even go to the Olympics and the luckiest and most talented sliver of the tens of thousands will be our future pro champions and superstars of the game. The odds of cashing in a million dollar paycheck is slim to none for the majority of the amateurs but the skills, experience, discipline and strength they attain from amateur boxing will stay with them.

Oh yeah, boxing is alive and well. And from the looks of these young faces, the sport is here to stay.

Photos by Michele Chong