Page 15 - The Friday Flyer ● JUNE 22, 2018

JUNE 22, 2018 THE FRIDAY FLYER A-15

CL resident to compete in

boxing championships

Canyon Lake’s Riverside County Box- hosted Friday Night Fight and Bike Night on
ing Club announced that eleven-year-old St. Patricks’ Day weekend at the Harley Da-
Canyon Lake resident Tony Siragusa will be vidson Dealership.
competing in the Southern California State The Riverside Boxing Club, located in
Amateur Boxing Championships this week- the Canyon Lake Towne Center for the past
end, June 22 through June 24, in the basket- 40 years, is a non-profit 501-C3 organiza-
ball gymnasium at the Menifee Valley-Wide tion, which enables it to not only facilitate
Park and Recreation Center, 28545 La Pie- boxers with events but also to raise money
dra Rd., Menifee for charities and organizations. Its goals are
Tony is the second youngest of nine chil- to provide amateur boxers with the stepping PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEVE HARRIMAN
dren. He is being raised by his aunt and un- stone to compete in the Olympics through
cle, Pat and Dave Chambers. competing in USA Boxing events.
“Tony is a great kid and works really Young boxers begin competing at age
hard,” said coach Steve Harriman. He’s got eight with the dreams of boxing for their
the knuckles of an 18-year-old.” country as did Mohammed Ali, George Eleven-year-old Tony Siragusa will be leading the Riverside County Boxing Club
Tony said he is proud of taking after his Foreman, Evander Holyfield and other great crew to the SoCal State Amateur Boxing Championships this weekend.
great-cousin Joey Masin, a 1940s profes- boxers.
sional boxer. Because the Southern California State
Tony will be leading the Riverside Coun- Amateur Boxing Championships event is a
ty Boxing Club crew to the SoCal State non-profit organization, USA Boxing sanc-
Amateur Boxing Championships, including tions boxing shows to register boxing clubs.
10-year-old Antonio Villegas, 12-year-old Riverside County Boxing Club has hosted
Marisa Gonzalez, nine-year-old Nicolas the So-Cal State Amateur Boxing Cham-
Gonzalez and 23-year-old Sammy Lopez. pionships for the past eight years, gaining
Coach Steve, coach Vinnie Villegas and as- great success and popularity. “Our tourna-
sistant coach Brianna Gonzalez will lead ment was the biggest three-day boxing event
their team to victory. in the U.S. in June 2017 with 360 boxers
Friday night boxing begins at 7 p.m.; Sat- competing in Menifee,” said Steve. “Our
urday and Sunday at noon. Tickets are sold tournament also attracts 2,000 spectators
at the door. “Our boxers will not disappoint,” during the three-day event. It aims to give
said Steve. “Young boxers compete with amateur boxers a place to practice and train
passion and determination and exhibit exhil- their skills while raising money to benefit St.
arating talent for the awe-inspired crowd.” Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.”
The Southern California State Amateur The goal this year is to host a successful PHOTO PROVIDED BY STEVE HARRIMAN
Boxing Championships and the Riverside boxing tournament, encourage the commu-
County Boxing Club promote neighborhood nity to come and support the young boxers
sport boxing events. Since 2009, the com- and to surpass prior charitable donations.
mittee has successfully held three Riverside The event will raise funds to benefit the local
County Boxing shows, six State Champion- VFW in Lake Elsinore and St. Jude’s Chil- Tony, the second youngest of nine children, said he is proud of taking after his
ship Boxing Tournaments, and in Temecula, dren’s Research Hospital. great-cousin Joey Masin, a 1940s professional boxer.