A local community center held a special event to use boxing to get kids into the ring and out of trouble.
The event was held at the Jack Candelaria Community Center where kids were given free pizza and a toy. Those in attendance also received a boxing demonstration by retired boxer Hector Munoz. After a quick lesson, some of the children were brave enough to jump into the ring.
“I’ve been coming here for a long time since I was a kid,” Munoz told KRQE. “Kept me out of trouble. So, that’s what we wanted to keep going.”
Munoz's professional boxer career spanned from 2002 to 2018. Fighting primarily in the super welterweight division, Hector “The Hurricane” Munoz won 18 of his first 19 fights before finishing with a record of 25-20-1 with 17 knockouts, according to boxrec.com.
Trained by former world champion and New Mexico Hall of Fame boxer Danny Romero, Munoz fought a number of world champions, including Shawn Porter and Jermall Charlo.
He is frequently at the Jack Candelaria Community Center, which boasts a gymnasium, boxing facility, game room, multipurpose room and computer lab.
