In the brutal sport of boxing, blood, sweat, and sacrifice meet under the blinding lights of a squared circle. Even before the Roman Empire embraced pugilism, the classical combat sport has spawned occurrences of fathers training their sons. It is a journey defined by dual roles: one of unconditional love and the other of unrelenting discipline. The tight rope act between being a father and a coach is as precise and demanding as any combination thrown in the ring. Just like in the ring, the pupil is expected to dissect it and download the information as a part of the boxers in ring IQ.

It’s a sacred bond, echoing the lessons of past generations and the timeless tales of fathers and sons becoming legends in the ring. Family and friends talk of folklore and ferociously debate about tremendous fight of the year candidates at barbershops to BBQs for decades.

Let’s take a deep breath and imagine Michael Buffer announcing these great father-son duos, who all have been on a wildly successful boxing podcast called The Boxing Rundown: 

• Ryan and Henry Garcia
• Joel Iriarte and Temo Iriarte
• Teofimo and Teofimo Sr.
• Arnold Barbosa and Arnold Barbosa Sr.
• Brandon Figueroa and Omar Figueroa
• Jesus Ramos Jr. and Jesus Ramos Sr.
• Danny Garcia and Angel Garcia
• Tito Mercado and Ernesto Mercado Sr.
• Vasily Lomachenko and Anatoly Lomachenko
• Sammy Contreras and Sam Contreras Sr.
• Tommy Fury and John Fury
• Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Vergil Ortiz Sr.
• Caleb Suniga and Joseph Suniga

Caleb Suniga: Inspired by the Fear of Being Average

I spoke recently with Texas welterweight prospect Caleb Suniga, who trains at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy, and he told me the wisdom his father Joseph Suniga imparted to him that had a resounding effect: “Inspired by the fear of being average”. Caleb has answered the call by headlining for the first time. Suniga will be the main even in his home state of Texas, making the city of Manor proud of its fighting son.

Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada and Joe Estrada: A Historic Father-Daughter Journey

I would be remiss not to mention the remarkable duo of Seniesa Estrada and her father, Joe Estrada, better known to me as “Reina of the Ring” and her father and coach, respectively. Together, they forged a historic father and daughter journey in the world of boxing. Seniesa “Superbad” Estrada became the first female undisputed champion at 105 pounds, in addition to holding the WBC Silver and IBF titles at light flyweight.

I had the honor of speaking with Mr. Estrada, who generously shared his powerful and deeply personal story. He spoke crystal clear and candidly about how his daughter’s burning desire to become a boxer ultimately saved his life. Before boxing entered their lives, Joe was caught in a cycle of gangs, drugs, and incarceration even from juvenile detention to county jail and state prison.

Joe Estrada’s testimony is nothing short of inspiring. He gives full credit to God for transforming his life, using Seniesa’s dream as the catalyst. At just seven years old, she would sit beside him watching HBO boxing, unknowingly planting the seed that would change both of their lives. Though initially reluctant, Joe couldn’t ignore his daughter’s tenacity. Her relentless drive not only convinced him but quickly earned the respect of the boys she regularly outperformed in the ring.

“Joe Cool,” as he’s affectionately known, radiates pride as he recounts their numerous miles of travel from local gyms to national tournaments across the country. Seniesa’s amateur record of 112-5 stands as a testament to their dedication and bond. Their story is a beautiful reminder that parenthood is a two-way street, while we think we’re the ones teaching, our children often become our greatest teachers.

As our interview came to a close, I asked him a final question: What advice would you give a younger version of yourself, as a coach or father? Without hesitation, he replied, “Don’t doubt God.” The weight of those words hit me like an unexpected uppercut. 

“God will open doors you can’t,” he continued. Traveling to tournaments across the U.S., there were countless moments where things fell into place in ways he couldn’t explain, opportunities and support that could only be described as divine intervention.

I left that conversation deeply moved and filled with admiration for Mr. Estrada. His story is not only a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and family ,it’s a blueprint for any father striving to support and grow with their child. I’m grateful for his example and look forward to applying the same heart and guidance in raising my own daughter.

Coach Hector Lopez: Championing the Community

Just as vital in shaping young lives is Coach Hector Lopez of Santa Ana, CA. In me eyes, he is the golden standard when it comes to father figures.

Coach Hector is the heart and soul behind TKO Boxing Club. TKO is a nonprofit gym in Santa Ana, CA that has been transforming lives for over 30 incredible years. Having a friendship with Coach Hector, I know he would be the first to give credit to his flawless wife and two beautiful daughters and his stand out team: Bryan Pinzon, Robert Villasenor, Cesar Campos, Jose Correa and Abraham Perez.

Through sweat, discipline, and heart, Coach Hector has mentored thousands of kids as well as his impressive stable of pros consisting of Alexis Rocha, Johnny Canas, Jorge Chavez, Gael Cabrera, Fabian Guzman and Bryan Lua. Lopez has not only nurtured their boxing skills, he’s also given them purpose, structure, and hope. Coach Hector really grows his kids from grassroots amateur competitions to the Golden Gloves like Sebas Correa, son of previously mentioned Jose Correa.

Among his many standout students is Alexis Rocha, a proud product of Coach Hector’s relentless dedication. Reflecting on his mentor’s impact, Alexis shared, “One thing Coach Hector always instilled in me since I was a kid was this: ‘If you want something badly enough, go after it. Believe in yourself, and don’t let anyone or anything, stand in your way. And most importantly, enjoy the journey along the way’.”

Coach Hector isn’t just building boxers, he’s building champions in life. I always appreciate him giving me his precious time, lessons and respect. Personally, he is second to none.

All these father-son duos are in the same cutthroat boxing game but run their businesses uniquely.

The Tightrope Walk Between Love and Toughness

To be a father is to guide. To be a coach is to demand. When these roles merge, as they often do in the world of boxing, the emotional and public terrain becomes complicated. A father and coach must push his son to the brink of his physical and emotional limits while still offering the shelter of paternal love. The challenge is immense: how do you shout through a sold out PPV frenzied crowd and still have your child hear your heart?

I’m reminded of a verse that Proverbs 22:6 instructs: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” It’s a verse that translates to fathers who also coach. It speaks to the long view, the legacy that’s built not in a single victory but in a lifetime of character. A beautiful legacy to be written in the boxing archives forever just as Don Jose Santacruz and Champion Son Leo Santacruz have done. They are the true definition of the building it from the ground up and he leaves a proud legacy to be admired by everyone. El que persevera, alcanza:

“He who perseveres, achieves”

As In the tradition of boxing please close your eyes and imagine the toll of ten bells ringing in remembrance of Don Jose Santa Cruz. 

Thank you 

Each kilometer ran, each punch thrown, and each setback endured under his guidance is a brick laid on the path to resilience, not resentment.

Icons of the Corner: Fathers Who Built Champions

Boxing has always been a family affair. Some of its most iconic figures were shaped in the crucible of their father’s vision and hands. Countless stories of fathers’ sacrifices from desperately needed sleep to a dollars stretched farther than any gym resistance band. 

Take Floyd Mayweather Sr. and Jr., a relationship marked by turbulence and triumph. Floyd Sr, a former boxer himself, began training his son from an early age, teaching him the elusive “shoulder roll” defense that would define his style. Though they had public fallouts and emotional battles outside the ring, the foundation Floyd Sr laid was instrumental in his son’s rise to 50-0. Mayweather Jr is now a grandfather who teaches his own grandson the iconic shoulder roll.

And then there’s Teófimo López Sr., whose unyielding faith in his son led to an upset victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko. Their relationships, often fiery and controversial, still reflects a father’s consuming belief in the destiny of his son.

These stories aren’t flawless. They are complicated. Just like in the ring, it’s the job of both men to make adjustments on the fly, slip life’s obstacles and counter to the body of opportunity to drown out the noise of the naysayers, remembering the prize they sought out. They are deeply real relationships through the rounds/years in life’s fight. 

The Ring as a Place of Redemption and Responsibility

The ring is a strange place of both sanctuary and battlefield. It can strip a man down to his soul or elevate him to instant glory. For a father and coach, it’s also a crucible where lessons are forged in sweat, pain and sometimes defeat.

Fatherhood, especially in a child’s formative years, is irreplaceable. A father’s presence, his discipline, encouragement, and example, can chart the course of a young life. Research consistently shows that children with active and engaged fathers tend to perform better academically, emotionally, and socially. When that presence is combined with the structured mentorship of coaching, it becomes a powerful force for character development that could set up a boxer  as well as his children’s children with the money that can be made in today’s boxing game. 

A Legacy Beyond the Ropes

A father training his son isn’t just preparing him to fight opponents, it’s preparation for life. Even when the fight is over in the ring and the announcer reads the score cards with everyone on pins and needles of a tightly contested fight where both men have given everything. The coach/father go into overtime in the locker room to celebrate or console. I’ve seen first hand the love given after a brutal loss and a father be more proud at the effort given by his son. To hold his head up high even in defeat because he showed valiantly what his lineage means: warrior, resilient, strong, determined. 

Every early morning jog, every drill repeated in exhaustion, every tournament traveled every word of correction and every word of praise shapes the man the son will become.

In the name of the father, a legacy is passed, not just of skill or titles, but of values: discipline, faith, resilience, and love. The goal is not just to raise a champion, but to raise a man.

And sometimes, when the gloves come off, when the sweat has dried and the lights have dimmed, what remains is that bond, the kind that lasts longer than any WBA, WBO, WBC, IBF and Ring title.

In the ring and beyond, the father stands in the corner, not just as a coach, but as a cornerstone. Every dad wants his son to succeed and every son wants to make his dad proud. Life has its ways of knocking you down whether it be a flash knock down or a ferocious near-fight ending shot. Channeling my inner Joe Goosen: “You gotta f***in get inside on him now” to get up regardless of the scorecards and keep fighting for your victory, your championship. I challenge you the reader as the fighter in your own life. Personally I want to be someone my family is proud of. I want to be able to say “I sat with the best in the world and I won”. What will your last name mean to future generations? 

This article is dedicated to the autism community and their families as well as my own family Crystal, Roman, and Reina Ruiz. 

A special thank you to:  Joe Rodarte, Yvette Martinez, Jose Rendon, Anthony “Stacks” Saldana, Boxing Rokus of The Boxing Rundown, and The Standing 8 Podcast family.