Bulldog Boxing is ready for 2024 Summer Punch Out at Bolado Park

Hollister-based Bulldog Boxing will take over Bolado Park on July 13 for the Summer Punch-Out, a follow-up to last year’s” We Are Back” tournament. At press time, there are 25 scheduled bouts—at least seven with Bulldog fighters—with contestants from Nevada, Utah, and all regions of California.

“We are going to put on a show for our kids,” Bulldog owner Zeke Lopez said. “And it is a great way to pay back all of our supporters in the community for everything they do for us.”

The lack of a local boxing scene means the Bulldogs are on the road for much of the year if they want to participate in tournaments other than the ones they can sponsor. It also makes it difficult for Lopez to coax other clubs into town to compete.

“You have clubs that call you, and they will have a list of seven or eight kids they are bringing,” he said. “Then, at the last minute, they’re calling me and telling me they can’t show up and that I have to switch things around on the list. I’ve had to do that six or seven times so far.”

The problem, Lopez said, is that when larger tournaments get scheduled at the same time as Bulldog’s, those events become a higher priority than the Hollister contest.

Another challenge is finding funding for events like the Summer Punch Out: Lopez does not charge his boxers for their lessons, and the gym survives on bake sales, private donations, and support from organizations like the Community Foundation of San Benito County and the Rotary Club of Hollister.

“Many people have worked hard for us,” Lopez said, “And we’re making do with what we have. But it is all about the kids.  And what can I say?  Our boxers are really starting to come up and do well. We’re winning quite a bit, and everyone is having fun.”

The top matchup of the day will be between Bulldog’s champion boxer, Manny Bueno, and an opponent who has yet to be determined.  Bueno, 24, was the 2021 Central California Boxing Association Welterweight Champion and goes into the tournament after an uneven year.

“So far this year, I have had two fights,” Bueno said. “In the first one, I knocked my opponent out in less than a minute.  And then I fought in Visalia against the opponent who had beaten me last year, so it was good to get my little revenge.”

After that promising start, Bueno suffered a burst blood vessel in his eye, which left him partially blind and sidelined him for several months.

“I had to be very mindful as it healed,” he said. “I have gotten back to training and am staying focused. Coach guided me, and I just listened and did what I was supposed to do.”

Bueno looks forward to returning to the ring, regardless of who he ends up with as an opponent. “All I know is that we’ll be showing up,” he said. “I will be in the ring, someone will be looking across from me, and I’ll be ready to put on a great show. I trust in the training, and if you have a good coach, there should be no surprise in the result.”

The doors open at 11 a.m., with the tournament beginning at 12 p.m. Food and drink will be available for sale. Tickets are $20 (cash only) and are available at the gate or through Zeke Lopez (831-756-0182).