How boxer Andy Vences stayed battle-ready despite the pandemic
Junior lightweight boxer Andy Vences takes the spotlight on July 7 when he fights Luis Alberto Lopez on Top Rank on ESPN.
Boxing is one of the few professional sports active during the global pandemic. Junior lightweight contender Andy Vences had to be creative and diligent about staying in shape to be ready when called on to fight.
He received the call and a game opponent in Luis Alberto Lopez (20-2, 11 KOs). They meet on Tuesday, July 7, in a 10-rounder on Top Rank on ESPN, starting at 8 p.m ET. Top Rank deserves a lot of credit for finding a way to host boxing cards regularly, but fighters like Vences are the reason they’re possible.
Vences (23-1-1, 12 KOs), 29, of San Jose, California, is currently rated by Boxrec.com as the 25th-best junior lightweight in the world. He last fought in Oct. 2019, and only has a single loss on his record.
Vences, who goes by the nickname ‘El Tiburon,’ is eager for a world title shot, but the pandemic postponed his and every boxers’ chances of advancing in the sport. Top Rank resumed regular boxing cards in June, and now Vences has the opportunity to captivate fans.
“I got to put on a spectacular performance,” Vences recently told FanSided.
Vences will have his shot, but people should know about the effort he put in to be ready to perform at the highest level. Gyms, public training facilities, and staff were off-limits to Vences due to quarantine procedures. His area was hit exceptionally hard by COVID-19.
“I live in Santa Clara where the demographics here, we were like number one of [COVID-19] cases,” said Vences. “So it was bad. Everything pretty much shut down here.”
With no gym, Vences had to take matters into his own hands. He constructed a one-person boxing gym on his porch. Beating on pads and continuing his roadwork became his primary means of training.
“Once we moved into this apartment, every gym got closed by March 16. Everything that weekend was shut down,” recalled Vences. “Obviously, I do my running and everything, but you have to go to the gym. In this new apartment, I ended up building a one-person boxing gym.
“I set up a crazy bag, a heavy bag, and a speed bag. I’ve got my one-man gym. At least I can get it in as far as the bag work.”
Andy Vences trained under unique circumstances to get ready for Luis Alberto Lopez on July 7.
Vences kept his form by any means necessary, but with no boxing, a significant part of his income was gone. Boxing isn’t a glamorous sport, but that’s especially true for boxers who aren’t world champions. Most fighters hold down a day job to keep their boxing title dreams thriving.
Vences is no different in this respect. Luckily, before the pandemic hit, he obtained a second armed security officer position.
“During this whole pandemic, it has been a long rollercoaster for me,” said Vences. “My last fight was in October 26, in Reno, and then me and my wife went off to celebrate our honeymoon.
“I told her, ‘hey, I haven’t heard anything about when my next fight is, so I’m going to go and get a second job because I do armed security.”
Vences passed most of his time during the lockdown training in the daytime and working nights. It’s a practice he maintains today, however, with a fight on the precipice, he’s only working one security job at the moment.
If things go well on July 7, then Vences is sure to find himself in position for a high-profile contest, which could include a title eliminator. He’s working hard to take advantage of his opportunities in the hopes that one day, boxing will become his only profession. It’s a realistic dream, but there’s more work that needs to be done before it can become a reality.
“As soon as things do change for me in boxing, I’m going to most likely walk away from work, but until then, I can’t,” said Vences. “Having an income is proof on paper to the banks. Any type of investment that I want to make, I need proof of income, and they don’t consider boxing as an income.”
Nothing in this world comes easy, but those that are willing to work harder than others stand a better chance of achieving their goals. Lopez is in Vences’ way, but the training is done and fight night approaches quickly. Vences is determined not to let his aspirations slip away.
As Vences declared, “We’re on a mission to get something done.”
Next. What if LeBron James were a boxer?. dark