USA Boxing heads to Lakeside, Saturday, September 4th

For 25 years, the five time world featherweight champ, Manuel "Mantecas" Medina (right) entertained the boxing world and now he's joining the teaching fraternity. One of his toughest competitors will be Priest "Tiger" Smalls, also a former boxer and super-featherweight champ who now trains boxers at the Undisputed Fitness & Training Center in Point Loma. Medina has started to teach his craft at the Chula Vista Boxing Club.

Tomorrow is Saturday, and that can mean only one thing–another exciting USA Amateur Boxing Show will take place. This time around, the Marron Boxing Camp in Lakeside, Ca. is the host.

Lakeside’s an area known for its cowpokes, ranchers, and lovers of NASCAR. With tomorrow’s temperatures likely in the 90’s, there’s no telling where the locals might be. It’s apple picking time at the local orchards, Grandma Barbara’s Storytime at the local library, the Barona Indian Tribe is having their 40th Annual Powwow, and not far from Marron’s Boxing facility is an 8-acre permanent rodeo facility

known as the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds.

According to this week’s show organizer, Jose Madrid, teams are coming from all over California to participate, from as far north as the Imperial Valley and Brawley and as far east as El Centro. At present he has 20 bouts scheduled with more than a few boxers making their debut.

From the Chula Vista Boxing Club, which only opened their doors six months ago, Gabriel Quinones, the gym’s owner, has four young men scheduled to make their debut: 14 year-old Juan Vazquez, 18 year-old Manuel Vazquez, 18 year-old Arturo Hoyo and Quinones’ son, Anthony Quinones who is also 18.

What makes Quinones feel his troops are ready to compete? They’ve been conscientiously doing their roadwork each morning and working their butts off in gym. Plus, he did recruit some top boxing people to train his youngsters. A fellow by the name of Manuel Medina comes to the gym three, sometimes four days a week to give instruction. Maybe I should mention that Manuel “Mantecas” Medina, began his career as a professional boxer at the age of 14 and has held versions of the World Featherweight title five times between 1991 and 2003.

Also on his coaching staff is Francisco Isais who has been training top professional boxers for over 25 years.

“Ever since the doors opened in March,” said Isais, “the kids have been training for this opportunity.”