There are few fighters who excel in the beautiful sport we call boxing. Many pugilists have come from various backgrounds and learned to fight on the tough streets they call home. There are also some, who just have the God given talent for boxing, but not every boxer has had it easy and almost all have paid their dues.
This is a story of two boxers who have been through the same struggle growing up and by fate, would come together to build a relationship of teacher and pupil. Both would learn to box at a very young age, have outstanding amateur careers and turn professional. However, the sport of boxing is tough where fame and fortune could lead one to a fork in the road with an ultimate personal decision; which path do I take?
Miguel Espino grew up in North Hollywood located between Van Nuys and Burbank, California. North Hollywood may not be known so much for crime as in other parts of the City of Los Angeles but at the same time isn’t known for shopping on Rodeo Drive either.
Growing up as the eldest son of two and trying to stay out of trouble, Miguel was introduced to boxing at a very young age. After a couple of years of training, Miguel had his first bout at the age of 12. Espino managed to compile an amateur career record of 90-10. However, there was something different about this young fighter that compared to others his age.
Miguel grew up unlike the majority of kids in America and was well aware at the young age of 10 that his mother had a disability. Espino’s mother was diagnosed with an eye disorder that subsequently led to blindness. This unfortunate incident would devastate Miguel both mentally and physically for years.
How would a young kid succeed in the mean streets of Los Angeles, while at the same time care for his mother and sister? Most young men his age would turn to a life of crime when such events in their lives turn for the worst. Not this young man; he had good friends and immediate family around him that cared and depended on him.
Espino was conscious of the fact that boxing could assist his family in their endeavors and ultimately, Miguel chose to go pro at the tender age of 20 in order to care for them. He started training at the infamous Goosen’s gym in Van Nuys where he would soon be boxing under the leadership of Joe Goosen.
The name John Bray may bring up a buzz in the boxing community with stories that date back to the early 90’s. Bray was a young kid who grew up in one of the most notorious neighborhoods in Van Nuys, California, known as Delano Street, where crime was as common as taco trucks. To keep him off of the streets a family friend would take him to the gym.
At the young age of 9, Bray would have his first amateur bout and eventually win seven national titles compiling an outstanding record of 124-12. He would have his most notable win as an amateur winning the gold medal in 1991 against Melvin Foster at the United States Olympic Festival in Los Angeles. Bray would win the gold medal alongside future world champions Oscar De la Hoya and Raul Marquez.
There was much speculation that this kid from Van Nuys was the next heavyweight champion of the world. This is where Bray’s world would eventually change. Bray was one of the few amateurs to turn pro and be given a substantial signing bonus from a management company.
As a kid growing up in the barrio and freely spending his signing bonus, he was bound for trouble. Unfortunately, he ended up getting wrapped up in a lavish lifestyle abusing alcohol and being distracted by his passion for the ladies. John didn’t care about training or fighting for that matter. He won the first couple bouts of his professional career, but he just couldn’t disregard his outside influences.
After being knocked out in the first round of a bout in 1998, he would eventually retire. Adding to the downfall of a failed professional career, his life took another hit. Bray suffered a near fatal stroke and he walked away from boxing with the notion that he would never return.
After Bray suffered his near fatal stroke in 1999 he felt as if his life had ended, literally. John could not provide for himself. He had to depend on his mother to care for him as if he were an elder and that definitely took a toll on not only John but his family as well.
John tried to rehabilitate himself through various therapeutic methods but ultimately turned his life over to God. Although he believed that family and doctors could assist him, he asked God to help him and in return he promised himself and God that he would help young kids and boxers like him who needed guidance and not follow in his footsteps.
Bray definitely learned his lesson from his misguided days of partying and taking life for granted. He vowed to keep kids off the streets, assist young boxers with their careers and hopefully one-day establish his own gym. Through his experience, he learned how the world of boxing could really be as far as the promoting and managing aspects are concerned. After working a couple of jobs to get back on his feet, he was personally invited to the Goosen’s Gym to help keep the facilities clean and in order. At this time in his recovery process, John was unable to speak, let alone function as a normal person.
At Goosen’s Gym is where John would meet Miguel. Espino just began to get his professional career started. Joe Goosen approached Bray one day to give Miguel a few pointers. Although Miguel was reluctant to take advice from a gentleman who appeared not to know much about boxing, he gave him a chance.
Little did Miguel know, John would end up assisting him with the chance of a life-time. After a minor dispute at Goosen’s gym, John started training Miguel out of the Northridge Athletic Gym, where he would eventually become the head trainer.
There was soon to be an event that had young professional boxers intrigued of the fact that they could win a million dollars in a boxing tournament. This boxing tournament would be known as the infamous original Contender Television Series that put boxing back in the national spotlight. While participating in the tournament, each boxer had signed a contract with a stipulation that they were restricted from speaking to anyone, not even their family.
Miguel with the assistance of Bray would be invited to participate in this tournament and the two would briefly be separated because of the rules of the Contender show. Bray knew that this was a once in a lifetime chance to both showcase Miguel’s skills on a national level and assist his family. John was ready to help him with whatever he could and gave him his blessing. Espino then joined the Contender cast.
After Miguel left for the Contender, John started training various fighters and fortunately through word of mouth was asked to train Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero who was an up and coming boxing prospect. John would eventually lead “The Ghost” to the IBF world featherweight championship with a win over Eric Aiken, an accomplishment he had dreamed of for years, both as a professional and trainer.
This led him to believe that it was a sign from God that his prayers had been answered.
John would eventually have a fall out with Team Guerrero. This immediately occurred after Guerrero’s first unsuccessful title defense and Bray would again experience the politics of boxing. Although Bray was frustrated that he was relieved of his duties, he would soon be reunited with one of his fighters that had been there from the start.
While John was training other fighters, Miguel was training as hard as he could, trying to make a name for himself in the boxing community as well as trying to win a million dollars to help his family. Unfortunately, Miguel would lose a controversial split-decision to Peter Manfredo who later lost to Sergio Mora for the Contender Championship and the million-dollar purse.
Although the decision would affect Miguel, he knew that he was worthy of being a top contender in the middleweight division. He remained loyal and returned to trainer John Bray still determined to make a name for himself. Miguel continued to train diligently under the guidance of his trainer and mentor. John promised Miguel he would be champion of the world one day if he just stuck with him and his training regimen.
Since his controversial loss to Peter Manfredo and training with John Bray, Espino has been undefeated for the last four years and is the WBC CABOFE middleweight champion. During this time, Bray also formed the John Bray Boxing Foundation, a non-profit organization steered towards assisting at-risk youth as he had promised. He was also recently inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame, an honor he is extremely proud of.
Now, Miguel Espino’s dreams of being a world champion will be even closer as he will be facing middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik on December 19, 2009 for Pavlik’s WBC and WBO world titles. Nine years of hard work and determination have finally paid off and Miguel is ready to make the most of this opportunity.
John and Miguel have formed a bond that is unbreakable. Their relationship started off as teacher and pupil and evolved to considering each other brothers. These two men have both risen from struggle to triumph and their dreams of reaching the pinnacle of the boxing with Miguel having the chance of being crowned a world champion and John training his second world champion are now a reality.
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