About Gym Puente Negro
With serious shortcomings, many needs, but with effort, dedication, and love for boxing, that's how Gym Puente Negro has been working for over a year now. It is located in one of the neighborhoods that, a few years ago, was one of the most conflictive in the city: Nueva Rosita.
Through sports, they want to offer the youth of the west side of Torreón another alternative, a better future.
"We call on the authorities to pay attention to the neighborhoods on this west side. There is a lot of need, but also a lot of talent."
That's what David Gutiérrez, the gym's trainer, explained. Along with two good friends, José Sandoval, who helps as a support coordinator, and Jaime Guerrero, they work wonders to equip the gym with recycled and donated materials, offering kids and young people in the area the opportunity to engage in sports.
David recalled that the place where the gym is currently located used to be a pump station for the Municipal Water and Sanitation System of Torreón (SIMAS). It was a place of vice and garbage dumping. After managing and knocking on doors, they were given the green light to establish the gym there. Now came the hardest part: restoring the place, equipping it, and putting in the floor.
David said that thanks to the support of the parents and some assistance they have received, they managed to have the place in good condition. It looks much better now, but it still has serious deficiencies, as it lacks a roof.
Training takes place from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM from Monday to Saturday, even with temperatures in summer reaching over 40 degrees.
During the winter season, it's the same – the cold penetrates their bones in a place next to the so-called Puente Negro, beside the train tracks and near hills. What little they have has been obtained through recycling, raffles, and activities such as burgers sales.
Nevertheless, despite all this, David, who was a professional fighter and now has 11 years of experience as a trainer, pointed out that they have had fighters who have represented the state in national competitions, such as the National Olympiad.
The gym has a cement ring, and a fall could be more painful than a knockout punch.
"Unfortunately, in all this time I have been a trainer, there has been no support until José Sandoval got involved."
"José Sandoval helped me out. He talked to people to lend us this place. It used to be a place of vice, and we started cleaning it up, covering the wells, and building a cement ring. We have been here for a year and two months now, and we have already worked with kids who have represented the state in the National Olympiad," said David Gutiérrez.
What talent has come out of the gym?
We have had kids in Baja California, at the National Olympiad - Braulio Espinoza and Ángel Martínez. In 2017, I took William Torres and Braulio to the regional competition in San Luis, while the other two participated for Durango.
Do you already have professional fighters?
Yes, thank God. Iván "Chiquis" Rodríguez is fighting on September 22 in Torreón, and the following week, on the 29th, two of our guys are fighting Cholín Ríos at Ferrocarrilero de Gómez Palacio, Alejandro Rubio, and José Gallegos.
What do you lack?
Unfortunately, in all this time I have been a trainer, I haven't received any support, until José Sandoval got involved. He helps us at the gym and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Before, I used to fix and sew gloves and masks myself. We have just received a donation of gloves, and that is very basic, it's for the kids.
What about the authorities?
We call on the authorities to pay attention to the neighborhoods on this west side. There is a lot of need, but also a lot of talent.
La Jabonera is a nice place, but it's not enough. We need to equip our gym, put a roof on it. We train outdoors, rain or shine, but we never stop. Boxing is demanding, and whether it's sunny, dusty, or rainy, we train. We would like our situation to improve," David concluded.
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