Zachary Ochoa and the nature of what a boxer does

Zachary Ochoa has a big task in Brandun Lee on April 16, but Ochoa believes he will prevail on the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugás undercard. 

Boxing has its share of problems, but it’s also transformative, as exemplified through boxer Zachary Ochoa.

Ochoa (21-2, 7 KOs) is a very different person today at 29 years old than he was as a 14-year-old, largely because someone steered him towards the sweet science.

“Before boxing, I would just be outside hanging out in the street in Brooklyn, just running around with my friends,” Ochoa told FanSided. “Just doing anything we could to just, I don’t know, like finding trouble. Breaking into people’s houses and just like little things. Like dumb s**t. Especially violence, you know. It was always violence.”

Ochoa lacked focus and drive. He had time and negative peer influences surrounding him with no outlet for his creativity, anger, and feelings in general.

Ochoa was like a lot of young people growing up in inner cities. He possessed unrealized potential with no role model for guidance.

Boxing was almost like a last resort for Ochoa. Fortunately, he took to the sport immediately. It gave him discipline and ignited a passion.

“But once I got to boxing, it was like, I was going to gym every day,” Ochoa said. “I wasn’t hanging out. I wasn’t with my friends. And it was just, that’s all I wanted was to be in the gym.”

Ochoa made boxing his profession. It helps that he had natural talent, but he also had an intrinsic desire to succeed in the ring.

Watch Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa on the April 16 undercard of the Showtime PPV Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugás boxing card

Reminiscing about his 15 years in boxing, Ochoa sees value in it far beyond the paychecks. It has taught him life lessons that will last a lifetime.

“I’ve learned that no matter what, just like, keep going, you know,” Ochoa said. “Ever since I’ve turned pro, I see a lot of guys that I’ve turned pro around the same time with fall. I’ve seen a lot of guys succeed, you know. So it’s just like, just worry about yourself. Focus on yourself, you know, and do whatever you have to do to level yourself up, and that’s what I’ve done.”

There have been many highs in Ochoa’s 11-year professional boxing career, but almost every fighter takes an L. Ochoa lost his second bout his last time in the ring against Juan Velasco in February 2021.

It was a close split decision loss, but it didn’t rattle Ochoa’s frame of mind. He put the razor-thin defeat in perspective.

“They really want to crucify you whenever you lose a fight, but they just don’t understand,” Ochoa said. “Like so many of the greats have lost a fight. I’m not saying losing fight is okay because we don’t want to lose. We win, you know. But at the end of the day, if you do, you need to take it as a lesson.

“Like Pacquiao has been knocked the f**k out so many times, and guess what? He is a legend bro. He is a fucking legend that has come back. And just to come back from that, like come on now. It just proves to you you can do anything.”

Fans and pundits come down hard on fighters when they lose a fight, but it happens. It’s part of any competition, and Ochoa knows that.

He has drawn inspiration from Pacquiao and hopes to establish a legendary career. He’s got a good base but needs the cherry to punctuate it.

His April 16 bout against undefeated phenom Brandun Lee on the undercard of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugás could be the perfect opportunity.

The odds aren’t in Ochoa’s favor. Wynnbet.com has him as a 12-1 underdog, but no one ever got anywhere by playing it safe. Ochoa feels ready for the best and has confidence in his abilities.

“They offered me the fight, and I didn’t hesitate to say no,” Ochoa said. “It was just like, perfect. I just said yes, immediately, and I just wanted to get it done. ASAP.”

Conventional wisdom would say don’t fight an undefeated 22-year-old knockout artist like Lee. But boxers typically aren’t conventional people.

They get hit and hit others for a living. It doesn’t get much more unconventional than that.

Ochoa believes that he’s a diamond in the Brooklyn rough. He has never backed down from a fight before, and he’s not going to start now.

“I mean, it’s just the person I am, you know,” Ochoa said. “I don’t fear anybody. I’m not scared of anybody. This is what we do.”