Sebastian Valencia, 14, is a new resident to the States from Colombia and has the same feeling as many immigrants: He wants a chance to excel in sports and in school.
Opportunity knocked on his door a few months ago when he crossed paths with Hernando Alvarado, a strength and conditioning and boxing coach. Alvarado was in Union City distributing flyers for his training sessions at Global Boxing on Tonnelle Avenue. Valencia took a flyer.
“I was a little nervous initially when I stepped into the ring.” – Sebastian Valencia
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Coach Alvarado enrolled Valencia in a tournament in April and in another one coming up.
Winning ways
The Annual New Jersey Junior Olympic State Tournament was a two-day event. It started on April 23 at Elite Heat Boxing in Newark and continued April 24 at Garden State School of Boxing in Paterson.
“Sebastian won the first match on day one and the second match was won by forfeit,” said Alvarado.
Valencia said, “I was a little nervous initially when I stepped into the ring but after the first punch I controlled my nerves and I became well [focused] throughout the match.”
When asked who his favorite boxer is, Sebastian said, “Pacquiao because he is a humbled boxer that comes from a poor background that never forgot his people and gives back to his community.”
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is a boxer who’s well known in the Phillipines and is also an elected official in the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines.
Valencia, who attends eighth grade in West New York Middle School, will be competing in the upcoming Junior Olympic Golden Gloves Championship June 4 to 5 at Elite Heat Boxing Gym in Newark.
Santo Sanabria may be reached at SSanabria@hudsonreporter.com.