By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — The Harlingen Convention Center will be playing host to “STABA vs. Gulf III” on Saturday, pitting local boxers in the South Texas Amateur Boxing Association against Houston-area boxers in the Gulf Boxing Association.
Each of the local boxing commissions have taken home the trophy in the head-to-head battle, with Gulf winning in 2017 and STABA getting the victory in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the event from happening in 2020, so STABA president Tom Lindsey said this year’s organizers are “doubling down” on the safety protocols to make sure it happens.
“It’s going to be a battle, it really is,” Lindsey said. “This is a fun way for us to get our athletes that can’t get out of the Valley, because of immigration or whatever reason, this is a chance for them to shine. They work their butts off in the gym, and they deserve to be in a first-class show like this. These athletes are hungry. They want this. It’s a lot of determination and discipline these athletes have, with their eating habits and training. It’s wonderful (to have this event).”
The event is a product of Lindsey’s friendship with Gulf’s president, Diana Leon. Lindsey said STABA is the largest LBC in the country, with close to 2,000 members from the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Killeen, Corpus Christi, Victoria and all parts in between. Gulf’s coverage “starts where we stop,” Lindsey said, and features a lot of Houston-area boxers.
The Amateur Elite Boxing event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, with the doors opening at 5. Lindsey said there will be 15, possibly 16 bouts. The seven bouts featuring an elite boxer — meaning the individual is ranked in the top 10 of USA amateurs — will determine which association takes home the traveling trophy. Boxers will be awarded rings for winning their bout. The remaining bouts will be “to promote boxing” and feature athletes ranging from 8 to 28 years old.
“Max Aguilar, he’s 8 years old from Mercedes, he should be the main event. This kid, this athlete, boxes his heart out. He has a skill for it,” Lindsey said. “Leonel Cardenas, Sebastian Juarez, who’s highly ranked nationally, Roberto Rubaldino, they’re going to help us win the trophy. It’s going to be a very interesting night.”
Along with standout boxers, there will be some big names in attendance to watch the event. Lindsey said a USA Boxing representative will be at the sanctioned event, along with a representative from the International Olympic Committee. Several Valley native top-tier professional boxers will be there to support the STABA boxers as they show what the RGV is all about.
“It’s really exciting. I’ve said before, and I challenge anybody to prove me wrong, but we produce more champions in the world in this little area of turf than anybody else,” Lindsey said. “We have a half a dozen of them coming this weekend to cheer on the amateur boxers, like Brandon Figueroa, Omar Juarez, Eric Molina, Raul Casarez, Juan Tapia. All those guys on the national TV bouts, they really contribute back to the amateur program. Boxing is a true family.”