Just recently there was a story about a runner from Kenya misjudging the finish line 10 meters from the end of the race. Before that happened he was the sure-fire winner, but the second-place runner was closing, and would easily have been able to catch the leader and win the race himself. Instead, he motioned and guided the runner to the finish line, allowing the man from Kenya to win the race, while he finished second. Sportsmanship at its finest. Now I know this can’t happen in boxing. What fighter would, or should for that matter, look at his opponent and think, “Well, I’ve hurt him, so I won’t hit him anymore until he recovers a bit.” But positive role models can sometimes be difficult to find, and many fighters do not conduct themselves very well outside of the ring. One boxer that does is Artemio Reyes. The 26-year-old Reyes has a fight this Friday night in Ontario, CA. His opponent will be Rodolfo Armenta. When I spoke with him the other day at Capital Punishment Boxing Club he told me that Armenta is a bit of a wild fighter and that he has to be careful.

And while Artemio carries a good record of 18-2 with 14 KOs, once you know this young man you realize that it is not merely his boxing that makes him stand out. Besides his daily boxing training, which he does whether he has a fight scheduled or not, Reyes is going to college.

“I have eight more classes until I get my BA in Business with Accounting Concentration.,” he told me. “I am thinking about going for a Masters degree; I’m still contemplating it. Once I get my BA I don’t get financial assistance anymore, but I can take one or two classes at a time and use the boxing money to pay for it.”

That degree will also help open doors of employment for him when he decides his boxing days are winding down.

When Artemio is not training, going to classes, or studying, there is one more responsibility on his plate. He is the manager of the family-owned restaurant El Taquito, located in Colton, CA.

For those who might not know, Artemio’s father, Artemio Reyes Sr., had been in a coma since 2008 from an automobile accident until his passing in April of 2012. The younger Reyes had to step up to the plate even more to help care for his father, who remained at home, and spend more hours in the restaurant.

Now things have settled into more of a routine for him.

“I close up shop at 8:00 or 9:00 on a daily basis and get inventory every Saturday and Sunday. Those are my three everyday tasks – training, school, and the restaurant. No partying, no going out, no Valentine’s dinner,” he told me with a laugh. “But I have a great supporting cast from my family and my girlfriend.”

This young man is proud while at the same time remaining humble. He is fun to watch fight, but even more fun to know. And in and out of the ring, he will always fight “4 POPS”.


Be safe and God Bless,
Viva La Raza,
Barb.