Rooted in Tulare: Richard Torrez Jr. carries 79 years of Tulare boxing history into next bout

TULARE − Richard Torrez Jr.’s run toward a perfect 10-0 boxing record can be traced back to 1945 when his grandfather Manuel Torrez founded the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club.

That’s 79 years of Tulare boxing history and excellence.

“I’m a third-generation boxer,” Torrez Jr. said. “My dad stood on the shoulders of my grandpa and I stand on the shoulders of my dad, and from this high up, I have a pretty good view.”

And what a view from the top it is.

Torrez Jr. (9-0) continues his climb to the top of the heavyweight rankings as he battles unbeaten fighter Brandon Moore (14-0) in an eight-round bout May 18 at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego.

“This is going to be an exciting fight,” Torrez Jr. said. “He’s 14-0 and has eight knockouts. You can never underestimate a heavyweight’s punch. I’m excited to go in there and show people what I can do.”

Torrez Jr. is in the middle of his training camp. He spends half his time training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado and the other half in his hometown of Tulare. Representing his home is not something Torrez Jr. takes lightly — it is a badge of honor he wears proudly.

“I’m a firm believer that the community I grew up in shaped and molded the individual that I am today,” Torrez Jr. said. “I wouldn’t be here without them. That’s why I wear Tulare on my shorts, because I am a byproduct of Tulare. I was grown here just like the crops you see.”

More: Battle of unbeatens: Tulare boxer Richard Torrez Jr. to fight Brandon Moore on ESPN

Torrez Jr.’s growth as a boxer has been nurtured and molded by his father Richard Torrez Sr.

Torrez Sr. had a plan for his son from the very beginning. The plan was always to qualify for the Olympics, which Torrez Jr. did, bringing home the silver medal at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Japan. Winning the silver medal was one type of affirmation that all of the hard work that nobody saw over the years has paid off.

“I remember being a kid and I would ask pop, ‘When is someone going to notice?’” Torrez Jr. said. “I would be training on my birthday, New Year’s, Christmas, and I’d look at him and ask when is something going to change? And finally, one day it was like a light switch. Everyone wanted an interview, everyone wanted pictures and everyone wanted to talk to me. I remember saying, ‘Pops, this came out of nowhere,’ and he said that it had been the plan the entire time. It has been a long time coming and I’m here for it.”

Torrez Jr. had some decisions to make after returning home from the Olympics — it was time to go to college or become a professional boxer.

“We had some hiccups here and there but the plan was to reach the Olympics,” said Torrez Sr., who is also Torrez Jr.’s manager and trainer. “After the Olympics, I asked, ‘What do you want to do now? You can go to college or become a professional. We talked about it and he said, ‘I think I want to turn pro.’”

What a beginning it has been to Torrez Jr.’s young professional career. He is 9-0 and has won all nine of his fights by knockout. His latest victory came against Donald Haynesworth on March 29 in Arizona. Less than two months later, Torrez Sr. felt the time was right to take the next step in Torrez Jr.’s career.

“It’s the next step,” Torrez Sr. said. “I looked at the fights that were lined up and this guy has a good record. He has a decent punch. He gives us another look. I think it’ll be a good fight.”

Torrez Jr. won’t be the only heavyweight in action on May 18. Halfway across the world in Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury (34-0-1) and Oleksandr Usyk (21-0) will be fighting for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

Torrez Jr. admits he is still just a prospect as a professional fighter, but is excited about the prospects of heavyweight boxing.

“I think heavyweight boxing is on the come-up,” Torrez Jr. said. “Heavyweight boxing had a lull because we had one champion for years. Everyone knew who was going to win. Now, with so many fighters from so many countries and a lot of American heavyweights, we have a great future with heavyweight boxing.”

World championships may still be off in the distance for Torrez Jr., but he doesn’t let that consume much of his thinking. His first focus is Moore, and after that, time will tell.

“My ultimate goal is to see how far I can get,” Torrez Jr. said. “I’m not in it for the money or for a certain title. I’m in it for the competition and to see how far I can make it.

"I want to show that all the sacrifices I made have been worth it. Not only the sacrifices I made, but the sacrifices my dad made. I want to say all those days in the gym weren’t for nothing. My sister missing birthdays to go to nationals wasn’t for nothing. I want to say that putting me on a mural wasn’t in vain. I want to see how far I can go and prove to everybody that their words of affirmation were for something.”

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Richard Torrez Jr. carries 79 years of Tulare boxing history into next bout