TheBoxingBar.com's podcast

Adam “Bomb” Flores was a Ventura County heavyweight prospect back in the 1990’s. It was rare but exciting to see a Latino heavyweight when the city of Oxnard had just started to make some noise in the boxing world. I first saw Flores on an undercard fight in Oxnard which featured the debut of the city’s 1996 Olympian “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas that was televised on the popular “Tuesday Night Fights” series on March 25, 1997 on the USA channel. Since ending his career in 2000, Flores has managed, coached, and mentored local fighters in Ventura County. He has also done some acting appearing in the 1998 film “Snake Eyes” starring Nicholas Cage and Gary Sinise. We talk about all this and more. Check this interview out!

Rocky came on recently to talk about his standout amateur and professional boxing career. The 2000 USA silver medalist would take on many of the best fighters in his time as a professional. In this interview Juarez shares some great memories and stories with us.

This Saturday February 24, 2024 - Teresa Tapia Promotions will be hosting an amateur boxing event at The Cottonwood Mall in Albuquerque, New Mexico starting at 2:00pm. Nicco, son of Johnny "Mi Vida Loca" Tapia, will be in action. Nicco and his mother, Teresa, came on TheBoxingBar podcast to talk about the event. Check it out!

Alvaro “Yaqui” Lopez was one of the most popular and best light-heavyweights during his time. Although he never won a world title, he fought everyone during one of the best eras of the light-heavyweight division in history. Listen how “Yaqui” made his way into boxing after arriving from Mexico and representing his city of Stockton, CA. (This interview is partially in English but mostly in Spanish.)

Jesse James Leija was one of the best boxers during his time in the sport. He was a very tough fighter that had a very fan friendly style that made his fights fun to watch. He had a stellar resume and a lot of great memories he shares in this interview with us.

This is our third interview with top boxing trainer, Robert Garcia. In this interview we talked about the current state of boxing, everything he has going on at the moment, and what awaits him in 2024. Also, check out our last two interviews with this former champion. In our first interview in 2013, we discussed his Trainer of the Year honor he had just received. We discussed his start as a trainer. In our second interview we spoke about his life growing up in Oxnard, CA and his whole professional boxing career.

Frank Garza is a long time and very respected boxing referee because of his work and professionalism. He has been a referee for matches with some of the biggest names like Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr., “Winky” Wright, Deontay Wilder, Adrien Broner, Arthur Abraham, ect. He was the third man in the ring in the big fight between Mike Tyson – Andrew Golota in June 2000. A few weeks ago, he came on TheBoxingBar.com to interview to talk about his life and career. He’s a great guy! Check it out … Interview Date : 1/28/2023

You might remember Jack O’Halloran playing the villain Non in the first two Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve. But did you know he was a professional heavyweight boxer that fought some of the best fighters of his time? He fought George Foreman, Ken Norton, Mac Foster, Ron Lyle, Cleveland Williams, and many more during his career. Many years back, he authored a book called “Family Legacy” in which he wrote about his upbringing and finding out about his real father, mobster Albert Anastasia. We talked about all this and more in my recent interview with him. It was an honor to have Mr. O’Halloran on as a guest on TheBoxingBar.com podcast!

If you've watched the Netflix docu-series "The Night Stalker" or know the story of Richard Ramirez, I'm sure you'll know the name Gil Carrillo. Carrillo and his partner Frank Salerno (from the Hillside Strangler case) were the investigators put on to solve that case. Today, Gil is the co-pilot on George Lopez's podcast "OMG Hi". Just a bit ago, Gil came on to chat with me on TheBoxingBar.com. It was an honor to have him on to talk about these subjects and more. I will be posting the interview on TheBoxingBar.com's "Outside the Ropes" page. 0md8pVTFl5MA304mR0oD

Former professional boxer , Joey Medina of The Bronx, came on TheBoxingBar.com podcast. The ex-fighter took on Nicky Perez for the vacant NABF Super Featherweight title in their second fight together in 1987. We'll be talking about his career and how he got into comedy during the show. You might remember Joey as the opener in one of the biggest Latino comedy DVD's of all time starring George Lopez, Paul Rodriguez, and Cheech Marin called, "The Original Latin Kings of Comedy". Today, Joey still performs doing standup comedy and wears all hats working on films.

Former IBF World Lightweight champion, Rafael Ruelas, came on TheBoxingBar.com’s podcast last night to talk about his career in boxing. Ruelas defeated Freddie Pendleton on February 19, 1994 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood to win the title. Rafael faced many of the top fighters of his time including Jorge “El Maromero” Paez, Rocky Lockridge, Livingstone Bramble, Kostya Tszyu, and Oscar De La Hoya. A few weeks ago I got to see and speak to him and his brother Gabriel and they still look sharp. Last night Rafael stated that he has passed physicals to make a comeback fight and would be willing to. Thanks for coming on Rafa! 

Saturday morning "Mighty" Mike Anchondo came on TheBoxingBar.com for an interview. The former popular slugger from Los Angeles won the WBO Super Featherweight title on July 15, 2004 from Julio Pablo Chacon on in Dallas, TX. He retired in 2010 leaving the sport with a record of 30-3. Today, Anchondo still helps young boxers when he can. Thanks my "Mighty" friend!

    I had the pleasure to have Ventura County boxing trainer Ruben Juarez on our podcast for TheBoxingBar.com. Juarez grew up in Ventura, CA and got into boxing to get away from hanging out in the streets. Juarez won many big amateur tournaments almost making the 1992 Olympic team, but was eliminated by the eventual 1992 Olympic gold medalist Oscar De La Hoya in the qualifiers. Ruben worked as the coach for the boxing program at Ventura’s Westpark Recreation Center. In July 1993, he was shot in the stomach area by an Oxnard gang member. “They removed six feet of intestine from me”, said Juarez during our interview yesterday. In time Juarez, would be working with all the talent from the famed La Colonia Boxing Club which is in the neighborhood of the gang he was shot by. “There were never any issues there, because I was working with the youth”, explained Juarez. He has worked with Robert Garcia, Fernando Vargas, Rolando Reyes, Jose & Mario Aguiniga, Carlos “El Terror” Madrigal, ect.     Today, Juarez works full-time for the County of Ventura, owns K.O. Tacos catering service, and still works with boxers. Cheers to a real Ventura County legend “K.O.” Ruben Juarez!

“King” Carlos Palomino came on TheBoxingBar.com to interview a few weeks ago for our podcast. The International Boxing Hall of Famer talked about his start in boxing and his biggest bouts. On June 22, 1976 Palomino became the World Welterweight champion defeating Englishman John Stracey in Wembley. After seven successful title defenses, Palomino lost the title via split decision to Wilfred Benitez in Puerto Rico. In his next fight, he took on the Latino boxing icon “The Hands of Stone” Roberto Duran but lost by decision and announced his retirement in 1979. During his career, Palomino was attending college to get a degree which included an acting class. In 1977, he was offered to come out in one of the first episodes of a new show that would become popular called “Taxi” that starred ex-boxer Tony Danza. In the 80’s and 90’s, he would come out in many shows like Buck Rogers, Highway to Heaven, Knight Rider, Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, and several movies and commercials as well. Almost eighteen years later, Palomino made a comeback to the sport for five pro fights in 1997. Today, Carlos still works out every day and says he is working on several projects including a movie about his life titled “Palomino”. Please check out this interview and get to know “King” Carlos Palomino!

In 2013, Sulem Urbina and younger brother, Alexis, were competing in amateur boxing hoping to make the 2016 Olympic team. Sulem was hoping to represent Mexico, and Alexis for the United States. In September of that year, Alexis was beaten inside his home by some intruders and died a few days later due to the injuries. She went on and did well in the tournaments but did not make the 2016 Olympic team. She made her pro debut in late 2016. Today, she is one of the most popular women boxers around. Get to know one of women's boxing more popular action-packed fighters, Sulem Urbina of Phoenix, AZ.

Former IBA World super lightweight champion Antonio "Tono" Diaz took on many great fighters during his career. Antonio is the brother of Julio "The Kidd" & top trainer Joel Diaz. In this interview we talk about his life and career. Interview Date : 3/20/2017

This is my first ever interview with anybody for my then new website. Czyz talks about his colorful career. His life story is truly worthy of a hit movie. He discusses in graphic detail finding his father dead at home. Interview Date : August 2011

Ruben Castillo was born in Billing, Montana, but grew up in Bakersfield, CA. This is where he found the sport of boxing. As a pro, Castillo would become one of the best in his division and took on only the top guys like Alexis Arguello, Salvador Sanchez, and Julio Cesar Chavez. He is a very funny guy and has a colorful way of expressing himself. Check out our interview!

Marlon Starling should be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in my opinion. He fought many terrific fighters during his time and beat many of them. He talks about those fights in this interview and some things he did not like that happen in his career. Interview Date : 4/8/2015

Last year I took a few online college classes for the first time in my life. Chicano Studies being one of those classes. One of the homework assignments we were given was to watch a documentary called “Stolen Education” a 2013 film about Chicano children in South Texas having to remain in the first grade for three years prior to the mid 1950’s for being bilingual. The mother of Dr. Enrique Aleman, who passed away in 2002, was one of those children. He did not know anything about what she went through until shortly after her death. In 2010, Aleman and Rudy Luna go back to the small town of Driscoll, TX to talk to many of the residents who were around at that time to get some answers in making this film. On September 1st there will be a new law passed in Texas, preventing these types of subjects from being taught in their schools. Dr. Enrique Aleman came onto TheBoxingBar.com this week to talk about this for our “Outside of the Ropes” page. It was my first interview on a topic like this, so check it out!