Brandon Avila Rubalcava at his dad's gym in the Southmost barrio after he won the WBC Green Belt Elite Men's Featherweight Open Division October 6-9. Below, Rubalcava with his dad boxing coach Alfredo Silva.
By Juan Montoya
His dream started years ago.In 2019, Dionne Brandon Avila Rubalcava, then 15, dreamed of making it in the rough-and-tumble world of amateur boxing.
He and other aspiring pugilists jabbed and punched in upstairs gyms through innumerable sweat-drenched workouts with other amateur boxers all dreaming of one day standing with their right arms lifted over their heads in a prize fight in Las Vegas.
Back then, it was one-minute sparring rounds with kids your size and weight testing your ability to beat them to the punch and going to your corner where your manager gave you instructions you forget as soon as the other guy started flailing away and you could only flail back.
Then, amidst the ducking and flying punches you connect, not once, but twice, maybe three times and you can feel the other guy giving and now you can actually hear your corner shouting at you to finish him off.
"Hook, upper, hook!," you hear through the noise and the vortex of fists and flying leather.
Many dreams begin here, in the barrio. At Tony's Garcia Body Shop just off Southmost on Burton Road, boxing coach Alfredo Silva has seen those dreams come true, and also dissipate as some of his fighters climb up the amateur ranks, and others have their dreams battered back to reality as they walk off the ring.
After years of fighting to make his mark among local boxers, Rubalcava has arrived, winning the Featherweight Open Division in October and preparing for tournaments in Victoria, Texas, and finally, competing for a shot at the National Elite Men's Title in Lubbock.
Back then, it was one-minute sparring rounds with kids your size and weight testing your ability to beat them to the punch and going to your corner where your manager gave you instructions you forget as soon as the other guy started flailing away and you could only flail back.Then, amidst the ducking and flying punches you connect, not once, but twice, maybe three times and you can feel the other guy giving and now you can actually hear your corner shouting at you to finish him off.
"Hook, upper, hook!," you hear through the noise and the vortex of fists and flying leather.
Many dreams begin here, in the barrio. At Tony's Garcia Body Shop just off Southmost on Burton Road, boxing coach Alfredo Silva has seen those dreams come true, and also dissipate as some of his fighters climb up the amateur ranks, and others have their dreams battered back to reality as they walk off the ring.
After years of fighting to make his mark among local boxers, Rubalcava has arrived, winning the Featherweight Open Division in October and preparing for tournaments in Victoria, Texas, and finally, competing for a shot at the National Elite Men's Title in Lubbock.
"I once saw an interview with the parents of Sean O'Brady and they said that when he was growing up he never showed any inclination to fight. I'm not comparing Brandon to O'Brady, but it was the same with him."
One can tell he is his son's biggest fan.
"When he gets hit in the ring, I want to jump in the ring, but I know I would probably throw off my back in the first punch."
"I couldn't hear them," Brandon said. "I can only hear my dad in the corner."
One can tell he is his son's biggest fan.
"When he gets hit in the ring, I want to jump in the ring, but I know I would probably throw off my back in the first punch."
"I couldn't hear them," Brandon said. "I can only hear my dad in the corner."
Silva said that his son and his fellow fighters encountered the dark side of amateur boxing as well, losing two matches to local favorites on the road during Golden Gloves competition.
"This clique in boxing have tried to deter Brandon, robbing him of two fights, but he never gave up," Silva said. "I'm more than proud of him."
But its not only their aspirations that they take with them. They also take the hopes of their team sponsors that include the likes of local attorney Mario Davila, Dr. Azim Zamir, Servando and Daniel Solis from Sunrise Cafe, Ana Avila, and Gaspar Hernandez of Win Sports and manager of the Golden Corral. Mike Hernandez, whose brother George is an aficionado and worked out there, donated the $7,000 worth of boxing equipment to support the club.
"It's a whole community effort, " Avila said. "They are supporting all these kids fulfill their dreams."
But its not only their aspirations that they take with them. They also take the hopes of their team sponsors that include the likes of local attorney Mario Davila, Dr. Azim Zamir, Servando and Daniel Solis from Sunrise Cafe, Ana Avila, and Gaspar Hernandez of Win Sports and manager of the Golden Corral. Mike Hernandez, whose brother George is an aficionado and worked out there, donated the $7,000 worth of boxing equipment to support the club.
"It's a whole community effort, " Avila said. "They are supporting all these kids fulfill their dreams."
That dream, for Rubalcava, may finally be close enough to grasp with his gloved fists.
13 comments:
Is Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for ALL Texans?
Republicans say yes.
Oh, no, Abbott doesn’t get off that easy.
It is because of him we have the strictest abortion bans in the country, even in cases of rape or incest. Doesn’t matter if a woman’s life is in danger. Now Republicans are now in favor of abortion under certain circumstances? Remember, Abbott was going to get rid of rape. How is that going? Texas had the highest number of rapes reported in 2019, according to the FBI.
As for the grid, I guess he forgot during the summer when we were asked to curtail our usage. The Toyota plant in San Antonio had to shut down one of its shifts due to the grid. The grid is not fixed, but he still gets money from his big donors.
The loss of life in Texas under Abbott due to gun violence is on him. Now another town is suffering with 19 children and two adults killed, families torn apart.
Here’s hoping your time as governor is up, Abbott.
SOCIAL SECURITY INCREASE FOR 2023 -
Social Security recipients will receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment of 8.7% next year, the largest increase since 1981, the Social Security Administration announced Thursday.
The spike will boost retirees’ monthly payments by $146 to an estimated average of $1,827 for 2023.
This used to be the boxing capital of the valley! About time it'll come back again. Congrads this is not like biking or running or walking this is boxing.
Toya, haven't read the article. Just by the headline I understand that this fifteen year old from La Southmost is out to make a name for himself, which is admirable. What comes to mind is that Tony Martinez, El Papa del Padrecito, was there hindering this young mans progress by stealing from his family through their electricity bill.
Talk about keeping the oppressed down.
Congrads to Brandon Rubalcava.
Poor kid.
Boxing is a dead-end trip for Valley boxers. All they do is get their heads bashed in by better boxers from elsewhere.
That's the history of the sport here in TamaleLand.
Thank you juan Montoya and all sponsors..
ALL TALENTS..COME FROM SAME SPIRIT
ONE UNITED COMMUNITY..GIVES HOPE.
MAY THE LORD GIVE YOU FAVOR.
SE AVENTO..CON/SAFOS
October 13, 2022 at 1:40 PM
Not so fast frijoles these kids beat up on the rest of the valley kids. No competition here...
@1:40 pm You don't know jack about RGV boxing. Jaime Garza, La Joya and the Figueroa brothers, Weslaco were WORLD champions. You're a troll with no facts.
Good job Juan. Nice story. Good luck to this young man in his boxing career. Hope he continues to be recognized and continues to be part of Brownsville's elite who excelled in sports..
Just for Info..
Dionne fought against An Elite Boxer out of Alabama..who had 20 more bouts and 3 championships under his name..YES WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF RGV AND ITS ATHLETES.
SPECIALLY THE ODD SPORT OF AMATEUR BOXING.
SI DIOS CON NOSOTROS..KIEN CONTRA NOSOTROS.
BOYZSS!
He needs a real trainer
As far as I know..Dionne Trains with a very Outstanding boxing Coach
This boxing Coach open the path way for 90 percent of the now amateur boxing talent out of Brownsville..including those boxing in TV.
So Dionne needing a Trainer is an inderstatement...made by a wiso.
Con/safos.
Just saying..
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