Local boxer comes back home with pride in his punch
Hard body punches were not enough for Antonio Corrales in his
debut at the US Junior Olympic Championships in Marquette, Mich.
last weekend. Even with three good rounds, Corrales lost his bout
8-6 by decision to boxer Carlos Rodriguez from Oxnard.
Local boxer comes back home with pride in his punch
Hard body punches were not enough for Antonio Corrales in his debut at the US Junior Olympic Championships in Marquette, Mich. last weekend. Even with three good rounds, Corrales lost his bout 8-6 by decision to boxer Carlos Rodriguez from Oxnard.
Zeke Lopez, his trainer, and operator of the Bulldog Boxing Gym, was still proud of his young competitor.
“He went up there and had a lot of fun,” Lopez said, of Corrales. “He was supposed to go last year and didn’t because he got sick so I am really glad that he went.”
Corrales had reached the same tournament last year, but was ill just days before the tournament was scheduled to start. Because he got sick he opted not to go and compete last year.
Getting to the tournament this year was not an easy task as Corrales had to go through many tough opponents in qualifying bouts to get a spot in the Junior Olympic tournament. The event itself, however, put all of the best young boxing talent in the nation in one arena at the same time.
“There were a lot of fast, slick boxers,” Corrales said. “They had a lot of skill and the tournament was real tough.”
Even after his loss in the preliminary match at the tournament, Corrales spent time practicing and training to keep up his confidence.
“It didn’t really bother me that much,” Corrales said. “I did my best and all I can do is try harder.”
This learning experience will do great things for Corrales and help him improve on his skills and focus, Lopez said.
“He is coming back from this with a lot of enthusiasm and experience,” Lopez said.
Corrales called Lopez on the phone before and after his match, and throughout the rest of the week to ask for advice and let him know how he was doing.
“He is a good kid, he listens to the coaches, and he is always very motivated to be the best,” Lopez said. “He was watching some of the other matches at the tournament and he is coming back with the motivation to be better than them.”
This year was Corrales’ last year to attempt to become a junior Olympian boxer because of his age, but he will have many other opportunities and tournaments to show everybody just how good he is.
“The kid [Corrales] wants to go pro at the age of 18,” Lopez said. “I told him he needs to work real hard and he can get there.”
There are many tournaments throughout the year that Corrales can enter to improve on his boxing skills.
Corrales and Lopez hope to raise money that will enable Corrales to enter into more nation-wide and well-known tournaments.
Corrales plans to attend the Junior Golden Gloves tournament in Mesquite, Nev. July 26 through July 28. Any boxer that has five qualifying bouts and is a member of USA Boxing can compete in the tournament.
Another tournament that Corrales plans to attendis the 17th Annual Blue and Gold Open Invitational that takes place Labor Day weekend in Baldwin Park.
In addition he will be throwing punches closer to home this weekend. At the 60th anniversary of the Hollister Motorcycle Rally, Bulldog Boxing is hosting the first ever HMR Box-Off. There will be nine separate bouts with each winner receiving a title belt.
Corrales is participating in a match that starts at 1:00 p.m. July 7.
Even though this match is just for show, Corrales is going to take this match against Jorge Vagaña from Fresno very seriously.
“I have been training for this match all week,” Corrales said. “I will just keep training, just like for any other match.”
Just one week after a trip to the Junior Olympic Championships, Corrales is already fighting again and warming up for his chance to go pro in a few years.
