For most of us, when we think of boxing, we think of Rocky Balboa and his hometown of Philadelphia. But in real life, we really don’t need to look that far to see a great fighter. Worcester has plenty in its own backyard. There is currently a surge of promising up-and-coming local boxers, each with the potential to become great. This crop of young talent is the collective face of today’s revitalized Worcester boxing scene, and they carry on a proud legacy of Woo Town fighters.

Not Slowing Down
It’s hard not to become excited with the current landscape of boxing in Worcester if you’re a fight fan. The likes of professional competitors Khiary Gray and 19-year-old sensation Jamaine Ortiz have provided the spark needed to reignite the sport in Central Massachusetts. But it wasn’t all that long ago that someone out of Worcester was successful in boxing. If you dig deep enough, you’ll find a history of great fighters to come out of this town. Before this new batch of contenders, the most recent to garner attention was three-time World Champion Jose Antonio Rivera. Ironically, Rivera was born in Philadelphia before moving to Puerto Rico and finally settling in Central Massachusetts. Rivera rose to prominence with his own group of fighters in the ’90s, a group that included Bobby Harris Jr. and Sean “The Irish Express” Fitzgerald.

Today, Rivera is a local court officer. But his love of the game hasn’t waned. As of press time, Rivera is planning his first boxing event as a promoter, New England’s Future, with junior lightweight prospect Irvin Gonzalez headlining the Palladium show.

“What I want to do is rebuild the pro boxing game in Worcester because not many promoters come here and bring fights,” said the former WBA world champion.

“Worcester was one of the biggest boxing cities back in the day, and I’d like to bring that back. We have a lot of fighters and good potential in the city.”

Rivera isn’t the only former boxer still involved. Another is lending his experience to fighters at Camp Get Right, a gym that is home base for one of the biggest names in the area right now.

New Kids on the Block
There are a handful of gyms and training facilities in town, and chief among them is the Boys & Girls Club on Tainter Street and Camp Get Right. Under the guidance of owner and trainer Kendrick Ball, Camp Get Right is making a name for itself with a growing roster of pro fighters, which includes Kendrick Ball Jr., Edwin Rodriguez and UBF International and Northeast Regional champ Khiary Gray.

“When I first started off, all I had was basically my cousin and my son, and it started building up and Khiary came over and then we ended up getting a bunch of kids who started fighting and winning a lot of tournaments,” said Ball, 44, a former amateur boxer.

Having a title-holder on your squad doesn’t hurt, either. Born and raised in Worcester, Gray, 24, is relatively new to being pro and currently holds a 14-1 record with 11 KOs, according to boxrec.com.

His journey hasn’t been easy, though. When he was 17, he had charges put on him for “fighting,” presumably outside the ring.

“I basically took him underneath my wing to keep him out of trouble,” said Ball. “We kept him really busy so he’d stay out of trouble – busy in the gym, kept him focused, and hard work and dedication in the gym is what this will get you.”

Gray echoes the same sentiment about how the trainers and fighters at Camp Get Right look out for each other. “It’s like one big family more than anything. You go in there and everyone helps you out.”

While Ball oversees Gray and the rest of the Camp Get Right fighters, there is a much revered boxing veteran holding court over at the Worcester Boys & Girls Club.

Worcester’s Best?
The boxing program at the Tainter Street Boys & Girls Club is the foundation of the Worcester boxing, and this is thanks to its longtime program director and coach, Carlos Garcia.

Garcia, 67, started coaching kids at the Boys & Girls Club in 1982, and since then, he has had numerous pupils shine in the ring. In fact, chances are, most fighters you speak to in Worcester have come up through Garcia’s program or at least know who he is. Both Ball and Khiary are former students of his, as is Rivera.

The prodigy emerging from Garcia’s camp today is Jamaine Ortiz. Considered by many to be the best boxer to come out of the area, Ortiz had an impressive 100-win record as an amateur and currently holds a pro record of 2-0, both knockouts. He was crowned the New England Golden Gloves Champion in 2015 and 2016.

Garcia holds his students in high regard, and it is very clear when speaking with him how much he cares about them – in and out of the ring.

“I love him like one of my kids,” Garcia said of Ortiz. “The relationship between him and me is not like coach and boxer. It’s family.”

The feeling between the two is mutual. Ortiz praises Garcia and his commitment.

“He was the first coach I ever had, and (we have) a great relationship that’s more like father and son than teacher (and student),” said Ortiz, a born and bred Worcester resident. “Not only is he my boxing coach, he’s my mentor inside and outside the ring.”

For a young upstart with tons of potential, Ortiz doesn’t let the compliments get to his head. When asked about the popular opinion that he’s the top talent to ever come out of Worcester, Ortiz said, “I don’t really comment on that. Yeah, maybe because of my amateur background (they say that), but there are a lot of great guys who came out of Worcester, too, and I just have to wait for history. I have a long way to go.”

But, like a true competitor, Ortiz doesn’t hesitate to add that he wants to be “the best ever in boxing.”

Benefits of Boxing
Of course, when you train at a facility with a history like the Worcester Boys & Girls Club, you have every right to be confident. The boxing program there is known not only for its ability to nurture and produce top contenders, but also for helping kids stay on the right track.

“It kept me off the street and it kept me out of trouble,” said Rivera of the program.

Garcia’s boxing program has had a helping hand in its efforts with the support of police officer Nate Reando and the Worcester Police Department. Reando, an Air Force veteran who also served 16 years with the WPD Gang Unit, has worked alongside Garcia to help produce boxing events Christmas Brawl and Give Kids a Fightin’ Chance.

“When I was assigned to the WPD Gang Unit, I really wanted to focus on gang prevention, and I thought one of the best ways to do this was to get Worcester’s inner city youth into a positive place with positive individuals,” Reando said. “To me, there was no place better in Worcester to do that than at the Boys and Girls Club.”

The benefits of boxing and training can be long-lasting, too. While it may help kids stay on the straight and narrow right now, it also helps prepare them for life after boxing. Rivera is a perfect example of this. He admits he knew his boxing career wouldn’t last forever, but it was that perspective that geared him up for what came next. Now as a court officer, Rivera is an important part of the community and shares his experience with young boxers in hopes that they, too, will get the most they can out of the sport.

“There are a lot of positives they can get from it as far as training and the regimen and the building of self-esteem and having the determination, making those sacrifices,” said Rivera of boxing. “A lot of those things you learn in boxing you can put in real life to help you with many things. Having a champion’s mentality in life can help in every aspect.”

A Bright Future Ahead
Like any sport, there is that aura of competition and the nervous energy of what it’s possible to accomplish. The group of fighters on Worcester’s boxing scene embodies that, but they also have one other thing: a sense of community. It’s this camaraderie and drive to push one another that has propelled boxing back into the spotlight. Rather than calling each other out, they’re focusing on the big picture and how they can help it develop.

“It’s actually getting bigger than it was before,” said Gray. “We’re all just trying to make a name for ourselves and put Worcester on the map.”

Gray and his peers are certainly doing that, and when you take a step back and look at the scene, you can see how it becomes cyclical. With ups and downs, it has seen its share of attention at times, while taking a backseat at other times. Now, it is back where it belongs and is giving us plenty to cheer about. The future of Worcester boxing looks bright. The work ethic of seasoned and dedicated coaches like Garcia and Ball is rubbing off on the youth coming up, as they pass their knowledge down for future generations.

By Jason Savio