August 2009
www.paramountcity.com
CITY OF PARAMOUNT
Charles Huerta, “The Pride of Paramount,” Looking to Win World Championship Over the decades, the City of Paramount has produced many and I wiped him out. So we’ve had some tough competition. fine athletes in a variety of sports. But achievements of the past We’re moving up pretty good.” might be eclipsed in a few short years if things go well in the realm Perhaps surprisingly, the boxer sees the match itself as the of fisticuffs. Paramount could become known as home to the least difficult aspect of the process. “I think the toughest part is featherweight champion of the world. the ring walk,” he remarked. “When you’re walking to the ring Charles Huerta, nicknamed “The and you hear everybody yelling and Pride of Paramount,” is at the dawn hear my music playing.” of a boxing career that has many Once that bell rings, however, knowledgeable sages of the sweet preparation and instinct take over. “I science trumpeting his quick fists just zone out. I don’t hear anybody and praising his ultimate potential. else. I go out there and do my job. After 11 professional bouts, he is The fight is the easy part. I mean, it’s undefeated – and boasts seven not easy …but it’s like studying for technical knockouts. two months and finally getting to take The 22-year-old local resident your test.” And when that test certainly knows his way around a comes up an A+, courtesy of a TKO, ring – his amateur career began at it’s top of the world. age 8. “But I’ve been boxing since I “It feels great after working so can remember,” he said. “I’ve been hard. After my last fight, some people going to the gym since I was about were saying, ‘You get paid for just two or three years old with my three rounds?’ But they don’t see all dad.” the work and training, which is a lot Featherweight Charles Huerta hurls a mean right during his latest ring His father Victor (known to harder than the fight.” victory. Huerta is undefeated in his professional boxing career. everyone as “Mando”) had fought as The road to a possible champian amateur. He now trains and onship belt began with Huerta’s firstmanages his son. “Once I was born, it was kind of a given that I round knock out of veteran Yoshifumi Momoki on September 27, was going to be a boxer,” Huerta noted. 2007. His most recent dance a few weeks ago was another TKO, The young pugilist, whose first training sessions were at the this time in round three, at Club Nokia in Los Angeles over Noe City’s old Spane Park GRIP gym, battled all over the world during Lopez, Jr. Recently, Huerta returned to the L.A. site in the his amateur run. He garnered a whopping 200 wins versus a mere evening’s main event, which was televised on the Versus Network. 20 losses, and gained numerous titles, including two Under-19 As his success broadens, the young competitor is attracting an National championships and recognition as the number-two-ranked ever-growing fan base. “We went to the Staples Center recently 119-pound amateur in the U.S. for a fight and people started coming over to me, yelling ‘ParaNow, as a pro, he is already ranked eighth in his division in mount! Paramount!’ and taking pictures,” he recalled. America by Boxrec.com. Plus, in a true testament to his chances, “Things are going good, & I’m hoping to put my hometown on he was put under contract last year by Oscar De La Hoya’s the map.” Golden Boy Promotions. “It’s big, man,” Huerta related. “There’s a million fighters out there but only so many get signed to a good promotional company. To be signed with Golden Boy is huge.” Of course, Golden Boy officials feel pretty good about the For more information about Council and addition to their stable, too. This is how their website describes Commission meetings, please call (562) 220-2225. him: “Charles Huerta has been the talk of the local boxing scene for years and the Paramount, California, featherweight has boxing 8/4/09 - 7:00 PM insiders looking at him as one of the game’s most promising City Council talents.” The ultimate objective for all involved is grabbing that elusive 8/5/09 - 6:00 PM brass ring – a world championship. “Our goal is to fight for a Senior Services Commission world title in two years,” Huerta said. Having a plan is one thing, and being talk of the town is another. 8/6/09 - 6:00 PM But there’s a brutal work ethic involved in this kind of accomplishment. “It takes sacrifice, dedication, a lot of hard work and time,” Public Works Commission Huerta said. “And you need to have decent opponents. I’ve fought 8/12/09 - 6:30 PM guys who have had over 30 fights, 50 fights – and I’m knocking some of them out. The last guy was another undefeated prospect Planning Commission
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