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Left to right Barrera, Duarte, McDowell

Three Valencia Fighters Get Ready For The Ring

For most, getting punched repeatedly and enduring pain is not fun. However, some athletes gravitate towards the challenge posed by combat sports. While going pro in combat sports is no easy task, three Valencia High School alumni are up for the challenge. 

The former Vikings training for their time in the ring are Justin Barrera, Aidan Duarte, and Chris McDowell, a group of high school friends who graduated with similar dreams. 

“Boxing is where I feel like all my problems go away, and teaches me to be disciplined and hardworking,” Barrera said. 

Last summer the three men realized they all were training to take part in combat sports in different styles at different gyms– Duarte and McDowell in muay thai and Barrera in boxing – why not get extra training together?  

Ever since, the three have been putting in hours of training on the daily. Doing exercises such as hill sprints, sparring and heavy bag training amongst a number of other exercises.

United by the common goal of winning fights, the three are also united in their motivation to honor their loved ones, and better themselves through the discipline of combat sports.

“I decided to start fighting to honor a friend who passed away, by becoming the best version of myself going after my dreams of being world champion,” said Duarte. “And become the same kind of idol he was for me, for other people who need it just as much as I did.”

McDowell is also motivated by the passing of a loved one, his uncle who was a high-level boxing coach.

“I started training after dealing with some mental health issues during the pandemic, and my uncle was adamant to get me into a boxing gym because it would be good for me,” said McDowell. “After a few months of training with him, I fell in love with fighting.”

After his uncle’s passing, McDowell decided to honor him by accomplishing great things in the sport.

Fighters like Manny Pacquiao and Canelo Alvarez inspired Barrera to get into boxing, he is also motivated by his Mexican heritage and culture to be the best boxer.

Both Duarte and McDowell train at Peterson Grapplers, a MMA, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing Academy in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

Even though the two train at the same gym, they belong to different fight promotions, Duarte is partnered with Royal Combat Promotions and McDowell is with Born to Win Combat Sport Competition International Kickboxing Federation.

For Barrera, he trains at 818 boxing club in the San Fernando Valley that specializes in training boxers and is not currently with a fight promotion. Despite not having a promoter, he is set to make his amateur debut June 17, 2023 at the Battle of East L.A. presented by USA Boxing. To even get to this point in his career, Barrera lost nearly 60 pounds between getting fit and making weight for the fight.

Duarte is scheduled to fight Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the Carson Event Center. 

In McDowell’s first fight, he wore the hand wraps given to him by his late uncle for the first time since his passing. McDowell, who is 1-0, will be competing July 15 in Carson, Calif.

 


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Three Valencia Fighters Get Ready For The Ring

One comment

  1. Those guys are going to get their little arses kicked.

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About Steven Barrera

Steven Barrera was born and raised in the Santa Clarita Valley. He graduated high school from Golden Valley in 2019. He went to College of the Canyons for two years before transferring to The Master's University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications. Steven enjoys watching sports, and spending time with friends and family.