If you are a boxing fan in El Paso, it's a good time to be one.
El Paso has long supported the sport, which has been an important part of the culture in the Borderland.
Many great fighters have fought in El Paso such as Oscar De La Hoya , Marco Antonio Barrera , Fernando Vargas. Sr ., Salvador Sanchez , Erik Morales and Austin Trout .
The city has also been home to some talented professionals and amateurs in the past such as Jennifer and Abie Han, Fernie Morales, Antonio Escalante and Earl Large.
Currently, El Paso is witnessing a resurgence in both the professional and amateur ranks to add to the city's history.
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The pro ranks feature Stephanie Han , who is world-ranked at lightweight and she has a major fight Saturday, July 27, in El Paso vs. Miranda Reyes at the El Paso County Coliseum. She'll be joined on the card by El Paso prospects Victor Aranda (junior middleweight), Jorge Tovar (middleweight) and Dominic Barry (cruiserweight), all fighters who are undefeated.
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Junior bantamweight Ariel "Apache" Moreno, Jr., grew up in Mexico but now lives in El Paso and is a promising junior bantamweight prospect.
The amateur group is also talented. Kayla Gomez has won multiple national and international titles in multiple lower weight divisions and is soon likely to turn pro.
Fellow female boxers Nayeli Rodriguez, Daisy Enriquez and Ivy Enriquez have also found amateur success with Rodriguez closer to turning professional than the younger Enriquez fighters. El Dorado High School's Moises Rodriguez is also an owner of multiple national champions and down the road could be a solid pro in the lower weight divisions.
Boxers don't play boxing, it's often a brutal and cruel sport in many ways. It takes a rigorous dedication and genuine love of the sport to come as far as the athletes have come.
There are other boxers from El Paso who have aspirations of being great and there are others in the past who sought greatness and left their mark in the sport.
Right now is among the best times in El Paso boxing history with so many talented fighters and many opportunities await them.
When Jennifer Han was a world champion at featherweight and Escalante was a popular featherweight, who routinely fought on television, there was a noticeable buzz and energy in town when they fought.
Let's hope that returns consistently with this new wave of fighters.
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Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso is home to amateur and professional success stories
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