Boxing Fundraiser for Villa-Parke–THIS Saturday!

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PasadenaShowAmateur Show Featuring Ages 8-50

Boxing fans in the Southland are invited to come out and support a special amateur boxing event THIS Saturday, September 27 in Pasadena, Calif.

If you haven’t had the chance to watch the amateurs in action, I encourage you to be part of this upcoming “A Fighting Chance” bash to be held at a private estate in Pasadena. The benefit is for the Villa-Parke Community Center and will showcase a full lineup of USA Boxing-sanctioned matches. There will be special guests, city officials and a crop of amateurs (from ages 8-50) featured at the show. Amateur sluggers from the Old Dog Boxing Club will be lacing up at this show. And after the amateur bouts, there is a VIP Reception where guests can bump fists with local celebrities and familiar faces from the sport.

This fundraiser is part of the $1 million restoration/expansion project for Villa-Parke (which has been open to boxers since 1940). The training and discipline of boxing can help keep kids off the streets and aways from drugs, gangs and crime.

Boxing can definitely pave the way towards a better future, providing an alternative option for inner-city youth tempted by street life. Pasadena Head Coach Fausto De La Torre is a veteran of the sweet science, a former fighter and dedicated coach who’s seen many come and go through the doors of the Villa-Parke Boxing Gym. I’ve known him for several years now and he remains one of the most loyal trainers in the the sport. He has trained both amateurs and pros and has also witnessed some of his boxers falling off the straight and narrow and finding trouble outside the ropes.CoachEspada

But he’s also had many success stories and he continues to train the kids, teens and young adults. And Fausto, the City of Pasadena, Barbosa Polverini, the Villa-Parke Capital Campaign and many others have worked hard to raise funds for the center. Their efforts have paid off in the recent crowning of a new champ, Tamara Espinet. The young puncher is just one example of how Villa-Parke can build champions–in and out of the ring.

“Tamara Espinet is one of the elite boxers out of the Villa-Parke Boxing Program; she has sacrificed and balanced a college education, a career, and her love for boxing,” De La Torre told me. “Tamara’s long life dream has been to become an Olympian and bring home the gold.”

Espinet is the 2014 United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association (USIBA) Nationals Champion and one example of Villa-Parke’s championship program. She has been both a mentor and role model to the kids gloving up at Villa-Parke.

“Tamara is an inspiration to our program participants, our community and an example of the success that can be reached through hard work and dedication,” Coach Fausto adds.

It’s athletes like Espinet who inspire De La Torre. Saturday’s fundraiser is a step in renovating the gym and fitness center.

Many local gyms will participate in this fundraising event including USC Boxing Head Coach Ramon Espada. He was there to see Espinet take the title and he plans on bringing some of his fighters to compete in the “A FightiTamaraFaustong Chance” function.

“Tamara Espinet boxes for USC and she’s our first female USIBA nationals champion,” Espada comments. His fighter Francisco Montenegro also won a belt and his amateur team has a busy few weeks ahead beginning with this September 27 show, then the October 17 15th Annual Hilltop show and Espada’s “Rivals in the Ring” (USC vs. UCLA) on November 14.

Building champions takes time. Each bout, each taste of victory are the necessary steps toward making their Olympic dreams are reality.

And the support of the community and boxing fans is a necessity.

Please come out this Saturday and support amateur boxing–our future Olympians and pro champs–and give these young boxers “A Fighting Chance”!

Tickets ($20 Individual/VIP at $75-$100): 626-757-5402

Photos by Michele Chong

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Michele Chong has been involved in the sport of boxing for over a decade. Her “Chatter Box” column covers a variety of subjects in both professional and amateur boxing, and features exclusive one-on-one interviews, recaps of fight events, shows and tournaments, book/film reviews and much more. Inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008, she is also a member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Golden State Boxer’s Association and the Burbank Boxing Club. Michele is also involved in many non-profit and charitable organizations.

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