The sounds of gloves hitting heavy bags and jump ropes striking the floor have become more than training routines inside the USVI Boxing Gym on St. Croix. For coach Oto Ortiz and the young men he works with, they represent discipline, resilience, and what many hope is the continued revival of boxing in the Virgin Islands.
That resurgence was on display recently when a team of local boxers traveled to Caguas, Puerto Rico, to compete in the 22nd edition of the José “Cheo” Aponte Tournament, held May 14-16. The international competition brought together fighters from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, and the Virgin Islands. The tournament, held annually in honor of a champion boxer from Caguas, also dedicated this year’s edition to Puerto Rico Boxing Federation Vice President Candy Rivera, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatment after a cancer diagnosis.
Representing the Virgin Islands were Wesley Santana, Christian Diaz, and Jomar Ortiz — another opportunity, Oto Ortiz said, to rebuild a boxing culture he believes had grown quiet over the years.
“There’s been kind of like a silence when it came to traveling and the guys competing for quite some time now,” Ortiz said. “I saw that the guys had the drive for it. I didn’t want to see the talent go to waste.”
Ortiz said he began organizing travel opportunities and competitions for fighters — often through fundraising efforts and personal sacrifices — because he believed athletes needed ring experience to continue developing.
“You have to go through the trials to actually improve and to become better as you go along your journey,” he said.
The competition in Puerto Rico proved challenging from the opening bell.
“There was good boxing,” Ortiz said. “Canada had boxers in almost every finals.”
Jomar Ortiz competed in the youth 110-pound division and delivered one of the Virgin Islands’ biggest moments of the tournament, defeating a boxer from Ecuador in the finals. The victory carried extra meaning after he had previously lost to an Ecuadorian fighter during another international competition.
“I felt accomplished,” Jomar Ortiz said. “It felt almost like a revenge moment.”
Before reaching the finals, he also defeated a Puerto Rican boxer he had faced earlier this year during the Copa Félix Trinidad tournament in Puerto Rico. Although he returned to St. Croix before the tournament concluded because of a prior commitment, organizers were so impressed with his performance that the president of the Puerto Rico Boxing Federation honored him with a championship belt — recognition Ortiz described as a proud moment for the team.
Christian Diaz competed in the youth 121-pound division and lost a split decision to a Puerto Rican boxer during opening-day competition. Santana also fell by split decision against a member of Puerto Rico’s Olympic team.
“It was really, really close,” Ortiz said. “I thought he had it, but he didn’t get the decision.”
The tournament atmosphere itself left an impression. Livestream coverage featured commentators, multiple camera angles, and championship ceremonies — elements Ortiz said added excitement for the athletes.
For many fighters inside the gym, competing regionally and internationally has become increasingly familiar after years of travel throughout the Caribbean and the mainland United States. Jomar Ortiz, now 18, first started boxing during the pandemic and fought his first bout around age 13.
“My dad’s commitment to it inspired me,” he said. “I just love the feeling of it — the adrenaline.”
Competing in Puerto Rico, he said, brings its own unique energy because of passionate home crowds.
“You know you’re winning when you have the crowd silent,” he said.
For Keyinde McIntosh, boxing started with a simple decision while he was in high school.
“One day I just got off the bus and went into the gym,” McIntosh said. “And that was it.”
Now 27, McIntosh said boxing taught him consistency and discipline after years of waiting for opportunities to compete.
Eric Thompson, 28, who is training for the Central American and Caribbean Championships later this summer, said sports shaped his life growing up in California.
“You were either taken by the streets or saved by sports,” Thompson said. “I was saved by sports.”
Thompson moved to St. Croix in 2014 and eventually found his way into boxing before connecting with Ortiz after Hurricane Maria. Since then, he said, Ortiz has become one of the driving forces behind keeping boxing alive on St. Croix.
“This gym wouldn’t even be here right now without him,” Thompson said. “He sacrificed his blood, sweat and tears for us.”
Thompson said Ortiz has not only trained athletes but personally supported travel expenses, equipment purchases, and competition costs.
“He’s very selfless,” Thompson said. “When we’re here, he’s here.”
Funding remains one of the biggest challenges facing the program.
Over the years, Ortiz said, the gym has relied on water sales, community fundraisers, and support from the Virgin Islands Boxing Federation to help cover travel costs. Most recently, Federation President Tony Rosario helped create fundraising opportunities during the Buju Banton concert on St. Croix. Ortiz said support from the federation and the Virgin Islands Olympic Committee will also help fund upcoming international competitions, including the Central American and Caribbean Championships.
Despite the obstacles, Ortiz believes boxing in the Virgin Islands is beginning to regain momentum.
“I totally agree that it’s growing again,” he said. “It wasn’t really a priority before, but now we’re seeing these athletes come up and represent.”
For fighters inside the gym, boxing has become about much more than wins and losses.
“It starts mentally first,” former boxer Christian Perez said while describing the discipline required to train consistently. “If you beat yourself up mentally, you already lose.”
Ortiz hopes the next generation continues growing through the sport — both inside and outside the ring.
“It takes discipline to show up every day,” he said. “You just got to show up.”
