Feb 13, 2022
I had the pleasure to have Ventura County
boxing trainer Ruben Juarez on our podcast
for TheBoxingBar.com. Juarez grew up in Ventura, CA and
got into boxing to get away from hanging out in the streets. Juarez
won many big amateur tournaments almost making the 1992 Olympic
team, but was eliminated by the eventual 1992 Olympic gold medalist
Oscar De La Hoya in the qualifiers. Ruben worked as the coach for
the boxing program at Ventura’s Westpark Recreation Center. In July
1993, he was shot in the stomach area by an Oxnard gang member.
“They removed six feet of intestine from me”, said Juarez during
our interview yesterday. In time Juarez, would be working with all
the talent from the famed La Colonia Boxing Club which is in the
neighborhood of the gang he was shot by. “There were never any
issues there, because I was working with the youth”, explained
Juarez. He has worked with Robert Garcia, Fernando Vargas, Rolando
Reyes, Jose & Mario Aguiniga, Carlos “El Terror” Madrigal, ect.
Today, Juarez works full-time for the County of
Ventura, owns K.O. Tacos catering service, and still works with
boxers. Cheers to a real Ventura County legend “K.O.” Ruben
Juarez!