While other kids were at Disneyland and playing at the beach hoping that summer never ends, Long Beach resident and child boxing star Moises “Mighty Mo” Orozco was busy traveling across the country competing against the elite boxers in his division.
“Mighty Mo” started off his tour late June in Augusta, Georgia, where he walked away with the 2007 Ringside National Junior Summer Boxing Tournament’s 70-pound championship belt.
“Mo” then came back to California July 12 for the 6th Annual Desert Showdown Tournament in Coachella. He had won the title the past two years and attempted to go for a third, but was defeated in the last bout by Ruben “Puncho” Villa. The boxer and his coach were both disappointed, but saw the lesson behind it.
“When a young boxer faces a loss, they are open to learn. And, what an opportunity to teach him not only about his errors in the ring but also about the unforeseen knocks of life,” said Rudy Orozco, Mighty Mo’s father and coach. “You just have to keep fighting and never quit.”
And Mo didn’t quit. Instead, he went on to win two more tournaments, including the 2007 Ringside World Championship, where he triumphed in winning the belt for the second time, something only a handful of boxers in the world have done before.
After collecting another championship belt, Mighty Mo settled his score with “Puncho,” defeating him in the California State PAL Championship in Oxnard and earning the title of California State PAL Championship’s 2007 Outstanding Boxer.
Now three months and many belts later, Mo is enjoying a short vacation before school begins and training starts up again for 2008’s series of tournaments.
