Ventura County Boxing Gym Offers Hope To Oxnard Youth

Not all kids grow up and want to become Michael Jordan, Emmitt Smith or Barry Bonds.

There are some that only know and revere the names of Muhammad Ali, Julio Cesar Chavez, Salvador Sanchez, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Evander Holyfield, a few of the greatest boxing legends of all times.

But while most cities and schools offer baseball parks, football stadiums and basketball courts to fuel the dreams of youth, there is usually no such outlet for training and honing the skills of the young amateur boxer who dreams of turning pro.

Hugo Centeno Sr. and Robert W. Lewis III are two men who have responded to the needs of Ventura County area youth. Their Centeno’s Champion Boxing Gym in Oxnard, CA is a state-of-the-art, 3000 square foot facility that offers boxing training to kids at no charge!

In an area that has been impacted by the deadly violence of gangs, Centeno’s Boxing Gym is an essential alternative to street life activity. An arena of hope, the gym offers a wholesome environment for not only training, but self development, determination and respect.

Hugo Centeno, Jr., a senior at Oxnard High, is a shining example of the importance the gym can play in one’s life. The 18 year old amateur boxer is being honed into an outstanding role model amongst his peers and is a teenage boxing phenomenon.

A true contender, Centeno, Jr. will make is professional boxing debut on March 27 in Mexicali, Mexico under the auspices of the #1 fight promoter, Albert Vega Ramos.

In addition, his manager, Robert W. Lewis is now completing the final stages of a seven fight promotion agreement for him with Roy Englebrecht, the most successful fight promoter on the West Coast.

Centeno’s Champion Boxing Gym is currently home to 20 kids, but there is room for 80 more. Instruction includes Boxing History 101, Defensive Techniques 102, Offensive Scoring 103, Physical Training 104, Respect and Gratitude 105, Commitment 106, and Pride and Humility 107.

In the month of February, four of the youth, Steve Rivera, age 8, Fidencio Hernandez, age 9 and Anthony Rivera, age 10, have already won several trophies in recent events.

The gym is dedicated to providing youth an organization that instills sportsmanship, fair play, physical conditioning and mental, spiritual and emotional health. The boxers develop self confidence and self esteem while learning pugilistic skills and discipline.

Explains Lewis, “Boxing has traditionally been an outlet for ‘street kids’ turning them into respectful young adults and great citizens. The city of Oxnard alone has seen an increase in gang killings and violence.

“Boxing, like all sports, offers hope to these kids, while teaching discipline. Gangs respect the kids in their neighborhood who they see may have a chance. The trickle down effect is the deterrence of violence while building and enhancing the community at large.”

Hugo Centeno Sr. made the decision to open the gym after initially training a number of kids and his own son, Hugo Centeno Jr. at his home. Their first gym was a run-down wooden shed sitting in the backyard of their old house.

In July of last year, Hugo Sr. partnered with Robert W. Lewis, who has financed the entire operation. Now Hugo and a large following of like minded boxers have a real gym to call their own. For Centeno Sr., all the sacrifices have been worth it.

He has trained his son, Hugo Centeno Jr., since the age of seven. Centeno Jr. has amassed an impressive record of 90 wins and 5 losses, while compiling a list of national championships and titles that comprise a virtual showcase of amateur boxing tournaments, including the Jr. Olympics, the National Silver Gloves, the National PAL tournament and the Diamond Best championship, just to name a few.

Coach Centeno, as his students know him, has positively impacted the lives of over 600 young men and women in Oxnard and Ventura County as a whole.

More than just a coach, he is a mentor and friend to his students transforming the lives of many. He and his champions have traveled throughout the United States including Texas and Idaho, Mexico and Puerto Rico attending national events that the students will remember forever.

“It is imperative that we continue to reach out to local area youth,” expresses Robert W. Lewis III. “Our gym is a community service and the training classes are free.

“Their commitment is the only payment required. Centeno’s Gym is a safe haven from the streets and gang life. The life lessons to be garnered here are not only valuable, they are crucial. So often the alternative for these kids is jail and death.”

There is often a misconception that boxing is all about aggression. Centeno’s Boxing Gym dispels that myth in its entirety. Centeno’s Boxing Gym is a place of hope that is nurtured with love, guiding Ventura County’s youth to greatness, one child at a time.

Centeno’s Champions Boxing Gym is located at 1162 Industrial Avenue, off Wooley Rd, in Oxnard, CA. The gym is funded solely by Robert W. Lewis with donations and receives no government help or assistance but all donations are welcomed. For more information call 805-487-4600.