CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The 2023 Jr. Olympics Boxing Regional for Texas athletes starts this Friday in the Coastal Bend, and R&R No Limit Boxing is sending six of their fighters to the ring, three boys and three girls.
Robstown 14-year-old Jade Rocha will compete Gilianna Salazar on Saturday in the Intermediate Female SUB NOVICE 119 lbs. category. Rocha enters the bout with a (5-1) record after three seasons.
"I've been training almost all year and waiting for this moment," Rocha said. "I know it's not going to be easy, but I know I'm going to make my teammates and coaches proud."
Rocha's sister, 11-year-old Jenica Penick, has been fighting for two years. She is (2-0) in the ring, and this Saturday she will fight Rjaleeah Garcia from Azteca Warriors in the Bantam Female SUB NOVICE 95 lbs.
"I'm excited about this year because last year I wasn't like really good, but I'm better now and I'm ready to do it," Penick said.
Their teammate 14-year-old Jessica Ibarra, a Veterans Memorial freshman, will make her boxing debut. She will battle Daniela Reyes from Eagle Pass Boxing on Saturday in the Intermediate Female NOVICE 132 lbs.
"When I first came I really liked to fight," Jessica Ibarra, Veterans Memorial 14-year-old Intermediate Novice 132 lbs., said. "I loved hitting things and stuff. Me and my brother have been wanting to boxing for years and my mom finally put us into it. Once we got into it I got into it super, duper quickly."
R&R No Limit Boxing's three boy competitors are 15-year-old Adan Villanueva (Junior Male SUB NOVICE 154 lbs.), 12-year-old Jordan Salazar (Bantam Male SUB NOVICE 95 lbs.) and 8-year-old Joeziah Salinas.
Fans can cheer on the local boxers at the Jr. Olympics Duke It Out Boxing national qualifier this Friday through Sunday at the American Bank Center.
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