At a press conference held this past Thursday night at Stevens Steak and Seafood House in Commerce, CA, Heroes Boxing Sponsorship Agency unveiled their 2014 boxing calendar and poster, which is absolutely free to anyone who might want one. More about that later.

Spearheaded by Roberto Gomez, and boxer Alfonso Gomez and his wife Dulce Padilla, the main purpose of the HBSA is to close the gap between sponsors and boxers. This is a great opportunity for those sponsors looking to gain exposure to do so, and all kinds of businesses are welcome. At the same time, this can also give fighters the ability to focus on training, and make a bit of extra money as well.

The sponsors involved in the calendar this year are Juanito, which offers health products designed for athletes (www.juanitoelsobador.com), Ronzio & Associates, a law firm that specializes in immigration issues (www.ronziolaw.com), Team Effort Network or TEN, which has a line of spray vitamins (www.vitamind3sprays.com), ABA limousine service, the “Limo of the Stars”, (www.abalimos.com), and Senor Baja, which is best known for those great fish tacos (www.senorbajarestaurant.com).

On stage in attendance at the conference were the fighters who were involved in the making of this calendar; former WBC Americas champion, the previously mentioned Alfonso Gomez, former WBC Silver welterweight champion Josesito Lopez, top-10 rated super bantamweight contender Efrain Esquivias, two-time world champion (WBC and WBO) Daniel Ponce De Leon, and the exciting young prospect, Sergio Nunez, Jr.

But the night was to showcase the calendar, and to open the evening we got to see a behind the scenes video of the making of it, and it was obvious that all of the fighters enjoyed the experience of working together.

“It was hard to keep a straight face for the camera. We tried to portray the tough guy look for the photo shoot, as you can see,” Alfonso said, pointing to the poster. “But we had so much fun – you know, the girls rubbing our chests and combing our hair, the limousine service – so it was hard to keep a straight face at that moment. We did our job, but for me it was pretty difficult. Other than that, we had a blast!”

Esquivias echoed those sentiments. “I’m excited, I’m very happy to be a part of this event. It was fun working with all these professionals outside the ring. So I’m happy, and I hope you guys are, too.”

The calendar is combined with a great looking poster, and Alfonso explained his reasons for embracing the thoughts behind that.

“The idea for the calendar came from the fact that every time I’m looking for a calendar, I can never find a boxing calendar. Neither can other people I know. There’s basketball and football, voluptuous women, but never boxing.

“So when Heroes Boxing approached me with this idea to be part of the calendar I immediately jumped in it, because it’s a poster. I know that boxing gyms are adorned with posters, so I’m really sure that this poster will be up in boxing gyms for many years. Guys can remember our names. I can remember what I looked like in 2013,” he laughed.

“But that’s pretty much where the idea for the calendar came in – the fact that it doesn’t exist, and Heroes Boxing wanted to provide it for the boxing fans.”

When I started this article I mentioned that the calendar would be free. After thanking the sponsors again, since it is due to them that this is possible, Gomez explained how to get it.

“It is because of them, the sponsors, that this calendar is free to the boxing fans and of course the boxers at the gyms. All you have to do is go to www.heroesboxing.com and they have an address there where you can send one of those little tubes, and they’ll send you one free. The boxers that are on the calendar also have their own postcards which they will have to give out throughout 2014.”

This was a fun event. These men and thousands like them have, for a variety of reasons, chosen boxing as their profession. They lay their lives on the line every time they step into the ring. Support Heroes Boxing and the fighters themselves and send off for that free calendar. You won’t be sorry.