In a converted warehouse just north of Downtown Fresno, perhaps the best boxing prospect to come out of the Valley in recent memory works hard at his craft.
20 year old Phenom Michael Anthony Ruiz Jr. ... who only laced up the gloves for the first time ... just three years ago. Professional trainers encouraged the Ruiz family to keep Michael Junior boxing.
With an elite support staff including his father ... a former IBF Featherweight Champion ... an agility expert ... a physical trainer ... and a manager ... one of Fresno's own is setting out to conquer the boxing world ... one step at a time.
Ruiz earned a trip to San Antonio Friday ... to compete in the Police Activities League National Boxing Championships. The same tournament he took second in last year. But with three national bronze medals and a silver medal already around his neck, the 2006 McLane High School graduate has eyes only for gold this weekend.
A busy month of October for team Ruiz will end with a trip to Iowa ... where Michael Junior will represent the USA against Great Britain in an international exhibition.
It won't be the last time Ruiz represents the Valley on Team USA ... not when the next Olympics are just a year and a half away.
MORE SPORTS NEWS |
TWEET@ABC30 |
FREE ABC30 WIDGET
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sign up for Breaking News Alerts
Breaking News E-Mail
Alerts |
Text Message
Alerts
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More News on abc30.com
California/State |
National/World |
Weather |
Entertainment |
Business |
Politics |
Local |
Health Watch |
Consumer Watch |
Mr. Food |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------