The Mayor’s Cup is a three-day boxing event presented by former champion Fernando Guerrero.
The event features 20 fights per day, featuring semi-professional fighters who have prepared for events like this for months in advance.
“A month before the fight, I’m already training,” said Gabriel Velasco, a fighter who competed at the event.
“I go to run at the gym at 1 A.M., before anybody else,” said Velasco. “I leave around 6 or 7 A.M.”
Though in professional boxing, there can be anywhere from four to 12 rounds for the Mayor’s Boxing Cup, specifically, they only feature three rounds, which consist of three minutes for boys and two minutes for girls. All ages can participate.
Safety precautions are taken before a fight, like wrapping the hands with sports tape, measuring glove weight to ensure each category of fighter competes with the appropriate glove, and weighing each fighter precisely, as it is the most crucial factor for pairing fights.
“I started at 115, and I moved up. I just moved up by a couple of pounds. I’m 120,” said Velasco. “I won today.”
Outside, you can get away by finding the food truck and games open to everyone. If you’re not eating or tossing cornhole, you’re watching the room boom with adrenaline and confidence.
The event was sponsored by the Fernando Guerrero Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering families, youth, and the homeless by providing essential education, financial resources and necessities.
