CityScape Sepember 2009

Charles Huerta, “The Pride of Paramount,” Puts Hometown on

Over the decades, the City of Paramount has produced many fine athletes in a variety of sports. But achievements of the past might be eclipsed in a few short years if things go well in the realm of fisticuffs. Paramount could become known as home to the featherweight champion of the world.

Charles Huerta, nicknamed “The Pride of Paramount,” is at the dawn of a boxing career that has many knowledgeable sages of the sweet science trumpeting his quick fists and praising his ultimate potential. His 12 professional bouts include seven technical knockouts.

The 22-year-old local resident certainly knows his way around a ring – his amateur career began at age 8. “But I’ve been boxing since I can remember,” he said. “I’ve been going to the gym since I was about two or three years old with my dad.”

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ment. “It takes sacrifice, dedication, a lot of hard work and time,” Huerta said. “And you need to have decent opponents. I’ve fought guys who have had over 30 fights, 50 fights – and I’m knocking some of them out. So we’ve had some tough competition. We’re moving up pretty good.”

His father Victor (known to everyone as “Mando”) had fought as an amateur. He now trains and manages his son. “Once I was born, it was kind of a given that I was going to be a boxer,” Huerta noted.

The young pugilist, whose first training sessions were at the City’s old Spane Park GRIP gym, battled all over the world during his amateur run. He garnered a whopping 200 wins versus a mere 20 losses, and gained numerous titles, including two Under-19 National championships and recognition as the number-two ranked 119-pound amateur in the U.S.

Now, as a pro, he is already ranked eighth in his division in America by Boxrec.com. Plus, in a true testament to his chances, he was put under contract last year by Oscar De La Hoya’s 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 addition to their stable, too. This is how their website describes him: “Charles Huerta has been the talk of the local boxing scene for years and the Paramount, California, featherweight has boxing insiders looking at him as one of the game’s most promising talents.”

The ultimate objective for all involved is grabbing that elusive brass ring – a world championship. “Our goal is to fight for a world title in two years,” Huerta said.

Having a plan is one thing, and being talk of the town is another. But there’s a brutal work ethic involved in this kind of accomplish-

Perhaps surprisingly, the boxer sees the match itself as the least difficult aspect of the process. “I think the toughest part is the ring walk,” he remarked. “When you’re walking to the ring and you hear everybody yelling and hear my music playing.”

Once that bell rings, however, preparation and instinct take over. “I just zone out. I don’t hear anybody else. I go out there and do my job. The fight is the easy part. I mean, it’s not easy …but it’s like studying for two months and finally getting to take your test.” And when that test comes up an A+, courtesy of a TKO, it’s top of the world.

“It feels great after working so hard. After one fight, some people were saying, ‘You get paid for just three rounds?’ But they don’t see all the work and training, which is a lot harder than the fight.”

As his success broadens, the young competitor is attracting an ever-growing fan base. “We went to the Staples Center recently for a fight and people started coming over to me, yelling ‘Paramount! Paramount!” and taking pictures,” he recalled. “I’m hoping to put my hometown on the map.”

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