By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
Boxing has played an important role in Tomas Barrientes’ life for 34 years as an amateur and professional fighter.
Now the 49-year-old Mercedes resident is being enshrined Sunday into the Rio Grande Valley Boxing Hall of Fame as one of five members of the inaugural Class of 2019.
“This (induction) is something different,” Barrientes said. “I can’t wait for it. I have never thought of getting an award like this. Hopefully it turns out to be a big thing (in the future) for Valley boxers because everyone puts in a lot of work. It’s always great to be recognized for something you do.”
The other four inductees are Beto Carr, 87, of Mercedes, a longtime coach, gym operator and promoter of amateur boxing events who trained Barrientes as a youth; Alfredo Gomez, 83, of Brownsville, a standout amateur boxer who went to state at 106 pounds and fought as a 17-year-old before graduating from high school in 1955; Andrew L. Maynard, 55, a Harlingen resident for more than 30 years who won the gold medal as a light heavyweight at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea; and Dr. Benjamin A. Salinas, 65, who has served as a ringside physician for pro and amateur fights in the Valley for nearly 20 years. He was born in Edinburg, raised in Pharr and now lives in Weslaco.
Sunday’s event is scheduled to be held at Radisson Hotel McAllen, located at 2721 South 10th Street. A “meet and greet” session with the inductees plus several boxing champions from the Valley is designed for the media (3:30-4 p.m.) and open to all at 4 p.m. Dinner will be served starting at 5 p.m. with the induction ceremony to begin at 6 p.m.
Banquet tickets for the event are sold out.
Among those scheduled to appear at the “meet and greet” are Raul Marquez, SHOBOX commentator and world title holder; John Scully, formal ESPN commentator; Eric Molina, former title holder; Brandon Figueroa, current WBA title holder; Robert Garcia, current WBC title holder; Raul Casarez, former title holder; and Rafael Davila, vice president USA boxing LBC.
Also, the Valley’s top male and female amateur fighters for 2019 will be honored during the ceremony along with a top amateur referee and top amateur coach, both from the Valley.
Barrientes, a native of Mercedes, compiled a pro record of 27-11-1 with 17 knockouts from 1989-2007. He fought as a super lightweight. In 2004, he won the International Boxing Association’s world super lightweight title.
He started fighting as an amateur at age 8 in 1978. Altogether as an amateur and pro, he fought 34 years — 13 years as an amateur and 21 years as a pro.
“Boxing has been a very good part of my life because I think with all these people around me as corner men and things like that, it put me to following the right direction in life,” Barrientes said. “They told me not to get out of line, and that played a big role in my life. Unlike a lot of other boxers, I went to school and started my own business. Boxing is something that could end at any time, so you have to be ready for the next step (in life).”
Barrientes, who has a refrigeration business in Mercedes, is proud to be one of the first inductees in the RGV Boxing Hall of Fame.
“I’m honored to be inducted with these other great inductees, because after fighting for a long time as an amateur and a pro it takes a lot of work and a lot of discipline, so it’s great to be recognized,” he said. “Even as an amateur, you have to be in real good shape (to do well). All that work pays off in the end.”
For more information, call Tom Lindsey at (740) 352-7298.