Four boxers from the Bull Dog Boxing Gym in Hollister are
seeking donations in an effort to attend the State Police Activity
League Boxing Tournament today in Oxnard.
Hollister – Four boxers from the Bull Dog Boxing Gym in Hollister are seeking donations in an effort to attend the State Police Activity League Boxing Tournament today in Oxnard.
Matt Bribiescas, Jorge Hernandez, Eric Delgado and Mike Conley have raised approximately $175 so far, but would need $800 to attend the state tournament.
“At this point, we haven’t reached our goal, and they may lose their opportunity to go,” said Zeke Lopez, owner of the Bull Dog Boxing Gym.
The four fighters are all coming from different paths, some with more experience than others, some who can punch harder than others.
But Lopez says the foursome, like others at Bull Dog, are a team. And he feels that they’ve all earned their trip to state.
In the end, Lopez says the “good Lord works in mysterious ways.”
As for the fighters, Bribiescas (4-3) has been with Lopez for a couple years now, and is ranked No. 8 in the state among 12-year-olds. The 85-pounder, according to Lopez, has been training hard recently in an effort to prepare for state.
“Sometimes you get a kid like that who tries to quit and says, ‘I’m not good enough,'” Lopez said. “But Matt is a very headstrong kid and confident. He knows where he’s at and I know where he’s at. I know that he can do something (at state).”
Hernandez, 14, has been with Lopez for five years, the longest time among any of the fighters. The 154-pounder has been to three Silver Gloves Nationals and won three national titles. Lopez said he’s No. 1 in the Police Activity League.
“He’s come a long way in five years,” Lopez said. “Now he’s sparring men.”
Delgado, 22, and Conley, 24, are two novice fighters, but Lopez has enough confidence in them to fight at the state level.
While novice level is defined as 10 fights or fewer, Delgado has been training with Lopez off and on for three years.
“He’s very good and he punches very hard,” Lopez said.
Conley, the heavyweight, hasn’t fought at all, but the 275-pounder has improved greatly, Lopez said.
“He came to me a little over a month ago, which sounds funny for me to put him in the tournament,” Lopez said. “But he’s smart and is a fast-learner. He’s really progressed a lot.”
Conley is so big and punches so hard, that Lopez has difficulty finding sparring partners for him.
“I’ve been watching the heavyweights around the state, and there’s not much to them,” Lopez added. “And Mike punches really hard. Some heavyweights couldn’t punch themselves out of a paper bag.”
Lopez is hoping he can send all four fighters to the state boxing tournament, but may have to settle for a smoker tournament in Bakersfield.
“These guys have been working so hard,” Lopez said. “It breaks my heart.”
