Corning boxer is state champ

Jose A. Santiago, a 16-year-old Corning resident, traveled to Marquette, Mich. last week to compete in the USA Boxing Junior Olympic National Championships.

Santiago, who will be a junior this fall at Centennial High School, has trained at his father’s local academy, Santiago Boxing Club, since he was 11 years old.

He has built a record of 10-9 with one knockout since his amateur career began in 2003, and qualified to nationals in May by winning his second state tournament.

Santiago, boxing in the 15-16 age division as a middleweight (155-165 pounds), defeated Mario Navarro of Los Angeles for this year’s state championship belt.

He won via judges’ decision, as after three 90-second rounds, Santiago had landed more punches on all five scorecards.

The state tournament was held in Avenal, near Kettleman City, about a month after the Northern California finals. Santiago received a walkover at NorCals, meaning he didn’t have an opponent to box in his age and weight class. He still had to travel three hours to Oakland for weigh-ins at the tournament in order to advance, however.

The NorCal area ranges from Santa Cruz through the Bay Area and Sacramento up to the Oregon border. There are boxing clubs in Watsonville, Oakland, Eureka, Napa, Novato, Roseville, Oakland and Sacramento, to name a few.

Santiago won bouts at NorCals and State in 2006, at the age of 14, to claim his first two major titles, but he was not old enough to advance to nationals that year.

He trains Monday though Friday after school at his father’s academy, which is located on the family’s property in a garage-turned-dojo.

The Santiago Boxing Club also has a full-sized ring lined by ropes for its pupils to utilize during training sessions. There are currently six boxers in the club, five boys and a girl.

“As long as you’re into some kind of sport, it keeps you out of trouble and off the street,” SBC founder Jose Santiago said. “Boxing was always my sport, but I don’t care what sport it is, as long as you’re doing something, as long as you like it and get something out of it.”

The elder Santiago started the academy after his son participated in the Police Activities League-sponsored boxing league and became interested in the sport. The elder Santiago boxed for 10 years at the amateur level in Puerto Rico in the ‘50s and later boxed in the United States army, just before the Vietnam War.

His son, Jose A. Santiago, had also played baseball and participated in swimming before deciding to focus on boxing.

“Boxing teaches me a lot of discipline and respect toward another person,” he said. “As a boxer, I would not go out and just start a fight with anybody. Boxing is for the ring.”

Santiago, who stands at 5’11” and weighs 162 pounds, starts his training sessions by running a cross-country length route through the streets of Corning. He makes a three-mile loop through town back to his house, and proceeds to stretch his arms and lace up the gloves.

He works the heavy bag for 15-20 minutes, going four to six rounds of three minutes each, with brief 30-second intervals.

The elder Santiago then straps on a training mitt for his son to work on his jabs with precision and speed. They perform four rounds, also three minutes each, with right hooks, left jabs and strong sets of combinations.

He also travels to a club in Marysville to train, and goes to North HIghlands to spar with a professional boxer to hone his skills.

Santiago said one of the toughest aspects of boxing is knowing nothing about your opponent prior to stepping into the ring. Even at State, you won’t find out if your foe is left or right handed until he takes his first swing at you.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Santiago said about his bout with Navarro. “I hadn’t fought in a year; I was really nervous. But once the bell rang, everything went away.”

Santiago said he came out strong against Navarro and dominated the first round, but the second round was pretty even. Navarro still had energy in the final round, according to Santiago, but “I was still the aggressor in the fight.”

It was hard for Santiago to determine his strategy for nationals. He said he would rely on his training, try to control his nerves and just come out boxing.

Win or lose, the elder Santiago hopes there are no regrets, and that his son leaves everything out on the ring like he did.

“If I were to die and be born again, I’d do it all again,” he said.

The nationals took place from June 17-20 at the U.S. Olympic Education Center. A follow-up story on Santiago’s finish is forthcoming.