Alejandro Huerta, an exercise science senior with a concentration in physical therapy, earned the fourth championship title for Club Boxing at UTRGV in April at the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association’s national tournament.
Huerta claimed his victory with no boxing competition experience after joining in September 2022. The title holder trained in wrestling, jiu jitsu and kickboxing, as well as in mixed martial arts for the last six years, before he started training in boxing.
Q: Why did you switch to boxing?
A: “It was the opportunity. Before, I told [my family] I [wanted] to compete, like, [in] MMA. They were like, ‘Why do you want to do that? Like, just… study.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m studying, but I still want to do it.’ And then when [a training partner] told me about college boxing, I was like, ‘I could convince them for that. I don’t have to pay for my trips. It’s school-funded. I’m always at school, too, so I could still study.’ And I did it.”
Q: How do you stay motivated?
A: “Before, I was just all ‘I want to be a better fighter. I want to win that belt.’ That was the motivation. Now, the motivation is ‘How do other people win that belt?’ I want to get that second title. … I’m on that path. But I don’t want to be the only one to win it. … I believe we could take the tournament championship as a team.”
Q: Who has been your biggest inspiration or role model?
A: “Well, I’m always going to say my pops. I’m always going to say my dad, because that man has worked so hard for my family and I try my best to do right by him.”
Q: What advice would you give to a beginner boxer?
A: “Basics and fundamentals shine bright. A lot of times, what we see is … new people who never box … or learn boxing from YouTube. They [will] try to do these fancy moves. They try to look at these top professional boxers and try to copy them. There’s a reason why it worked for them, because they worked on their basics for a long time and perfected the basics so that they can do other things.”
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: “I, sometimes, read books. I try to get the energy to read. But [for] most of my time, I just play video games, spend time with my dog or my family. I like to go out with my family, sometimes.”
Q: What’s your favorite video game?
A: “Right now, I’m a sucker for ‘Legend of Zelda: Tears of [the] Kingdom.’ … I finished ‘Breath of the Wild’ recently and after that … ‘Tears of the Kingdom.’ That’s what I’m into, right now. I also love boxing and UFC. I play ‘Fight Night’ and ‘UFC’ on Xbox.”
Q: Which movie would you want to be a character in?
A: “My favorite movie is ‘Planet of the Apes,’ but I don’t want to say I want to be a part of that movie. … Like, I would say, a movie I would be part of, because it’s, like, right off the bat or out of my head, ’cause it has to do with boxing … the ‘Rocky’ movies.”
Q: What song could you listen to on repeat for the rest of your life?
A: “‘Mr. Rager’ by Kid Cudi. … It’s a good song. I listened to that song before my final fight at nationals.”
–Compiled by Abigail Ollave
