Christian Gonzalez Knocks Out Alejandro Ochoa – But the Boxing Story is Bigger Than That

By Anthony “Stacks” Saldana (At Ringside)

Last Friday night Golden Boy Promotions closed out the year for it’s LA Fight Club Series at the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, a series which showcases of some of Golden Boy’s top boxing prospects. In the main event Buena Park’s, Christian “Chimpas” Gonzalez,12-0, 11 KO’s took on another tough Southern California local in Bell Gardens Alejandro (Alex) Ochoa, 7-11-2, 1 KO, but the story of the night wasn’t the vicious 2nd round knockout win by the undefeated prospect Gonzales. The story was Alex, his family, and the events leading up to Friday night.

Less than two weeks earlier on November 22nd Ochoa’s little brother Julio was fatally shot. Julio was 20 years old and was murdered just four days before Thanksgiving which was also Julio’s 21st birthday. Julio a amateur boxer had planned on following in his brothers footsteps in 2016 and turning pro, a dream that was cut short due to senseless street violence.

In the days after Julio’s murder the Southern California boxing community rallied together in support of the Ochoa family. A fundraiser event was held at New Generation Boxing Academy. Several fighters, fans, friends, family, boxing media including Supreme Boxing and promotional companies MT Sports and Golden Boy to name a few, did their part in helping in this devastating family tragedy.

Though all of this Alex pushed himself to continue to do what he knows best, to fight. Alex took to the ring before a sellout crowd on friday at the Belasco and gave a valiant effort in his battle with a young undefeated prospect, and although Alex fell short he gained the respect of every boxing fan in the Belasco that night. That night not only did Alex get in there and fight Gonzalez, but he fought for his team, his family, and he fought for Alex.

Often times in the media situations like this tend to get lost in the shuffle. Boxing family we are all in this together. No one in our society escapes the impact of crime and violence which has affected our community in so many ways; crime interferes with our daily life, our personal sense of safety, and our ability to trust. It challenges the fabric of our society, our way of life. Lives are forever changed when parents are gunned down, breadwinners are murdered, and our youth die prematurely. As a society we must continue to help our youth succeed. I want to thank everyone in the Southern California boxing scene that has their hand in helping our youth.

May God bless all of our boxing family around the world and especially the Ochoa family during this difficult time.

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