![]() ![]() According to Ramon, the term dates back to early 1900s. “Boxing is a ‘sweet science,’ that’s what it is,” Ramon says. on Thursday, Apwhile the gym’s founder, Marco Trejo, listens attentively. explains the meaning of “sweet science” in the world of boxing at Sweet Science Boxing & MMA Gym in Hawthorne, Calif. Ramon Espada (L), originally of Chicago and now a coach that trains fighters at several locations including New Era Boxing Club in Reseda, Calif. It was a time of grunge music, gangster rap, baggy pants and youthful rebellion, and Marco was in full participation. “I could have gone a lot further with sports, maybe even pro, but I was too busy partying, smoking weed, drinking and just being an idiot,” Marco says. He even yearned to get into boxing, but his parents were reluctant to get him into a boxing gym for obvious reasons. Marco was not the best athlete in the country, but he was good enough to grab the attention of a few colleges that were scouting him at the time. While attending Hawthorne High School, Marco played football and baseball. I learned that boxing is not a game to be played, it is serious business,” Marco says. That same night Jimmy Garcia was killed in an earlier boxing match. It was Oscar De La Hoya fighting for his first title against Rafael Ruelas. ![]() What is known, is that his grandfather never acknowledged Marco’s father as his son and abandoned the family to raise another family, but this was in Mexico during the early ’50s and that is a story for another time.Īt twelve years old, Marco saw his first professional boxing match at Cesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. He had over a dozen professional matches, but there’s no known history on his success or failures. The legend says Francisco would find his way to San Francisco a few times a year to fight under the name “Frankie Night”. His father never boxed himself and Marco was more of a baseball player, but Marco’s grandfather, Francisco Trejo, was a professional boxer in the late ’20s and early ’30s. (Kim McGill | Warrior Life)īoxing is in Marco’s blood. ![]() “In two weeks, he will be in Cleveland to try out for the U.S. “He is one of best amateur boxers in the country,” Marco says of Abudy. Marco Trejo (center), founder of Sweet Science Boxing and MMA, trains Joey Abudy (R) in one of the gym’s two rings in Hawthorne, Calif. That love was passed down to a son who had no idea how much he would impact the sport in his future. He has fond memories of watching Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez fights on pay-per-view in the early ’80s. Marco has been a boxing fan for as long as he can remember. He’s managed to carve out a niche for himself through boxing, all while keeping an optimistic outlook and still hoping to one day graduate from El Camino and finish what he started. Life has taken him in and out of school, while struggling to find his place in the world. What makes the connection all the more interesting is he’s still an El Camino college student, just one class shy (Math 80) of getting his associate degree. In 1999, Marco was a fresh-faced El Camino College student. In a room full of chiseled physiques, honed through training, Marco stands all but 5 feet, 8 inches, compactly built with broad shoulders and little potbelly that seems to protrude a little more each time he’s seen. Marco, now in his early 40’s, founded Sweet Science Boxing & MMA gym in Hawthorne in 2009 at the age of 29. Next to the ring is Marco Trejo, the owner of the gym, with one of his best fighters, getting ready to spar. There’s always a handful of fighters hitting the heavy bags to the right followed by others doing strength and conditioning. Once inside the gym the smell of sweat hangs in the air. (Kim McGill | Warrior Life)Īs people walk into Sweet Science gym they hear the pounding of gloves being hit onto heavy bags and boxing mitts which creates a loud “boom!” It’s like a mini-explosion that’s accompanied by the yelling and grunting noises each fighter makes when they throw punches. So, I thought maybe I should open a gym, I love boxing so much.” He opened Sweet Science in 2009. By that time, it’s kind of late to be competitive. “But, I didn’t get a chance to pursue boxing until I was in my twenties. “I’ve always liked boxing since I was a young kid,” Marco says. Marco grew up in Hawthorne, graduated from Hawthorne High School and attended El Camino Community College. Coach Marco Trejo (L) debriefs with Joey Abudy about the sparring match he just finished at Sweet Science Boxing & MMA Gym in Hawthorne, Calif. ![]()
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