Lightweight Gabriel Flores Jr. may not boast an undefeated record, but the obstacles he's faced and overcome have endeared him to his hometown of Stockton, California.
Flores, 24, is scheduled to fight Saturday at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton in what will be the first major boxing sanctioned event held at the venue. He will face Ronell Ron in a 10-round bout.
Flores (24-2, 8 KOs), who was once the youngest boxer ever signed by Top Rank, has suffered setbacks including losses to Luis Alberto Lopez and Giovanni Cabrera but has maintained strong support from his local community.
“I feel like a new fighter after fighting in front of my hometown crowd,” Flores said. “The loyalty in Stockton is unmatched, which is why we focus on unearthing up-and-coming fighters from the area and why I want to fight there often.”
Flores beat unbeaten southpaw Julian Rodarte in Stockton in March, and his father, Gabe Flores Sr., praised the bout for being well-received at Adventist Health Arena, which drew a crowd of nearly 7,000.
“A lot of people in Stockton face adversity, setbacks and hardships,” Flores said. “Gabriel's resilience resonates in our community. His journey isn't just about talent; it's about overcoming obstacles, and Stockton understands that.”
Crime and violence are a part of Stockton, and Flores Jr. has lost more than most. His mother, Juanita Maldonado, was killed in a shooting at a child's birthday party in 2013 that injured five people and killed another. Flores Jr. was 12 years old at the time. To overcome his grief, honor his mother and fight back against gang violence in his own way, Flores Jr. played in and won a youth tournament just two months later.
“I faced challenges outside the ring that shaped me,” Flores said. “Rather than letting my losses define me, they fueled my resolve.”
Flores Jr.'s next opponent, Ron (14-6, 11 KOs), is a 26-year-old veteran who is on a three-fight losing streak. Ron's most recent bout saw him get stopped in the fourth round by top prospect Abdullah Mason.
“He's a good opponent and has a lot of experience,” said Flores Jr. “I'm fully focused on Ron for this fight and looking forward to an even bigger fight in Stockton soon.”
“Beyond boxing, our goal is to create a safe, family-friendly environment,” said Flores Jr. “We look forward to hosting our first summer bout at Stockton Ballpark and seeing some fireworks that night both in and out of the ring.”
G-Squad Entertainment president Julio Sanchez highlighted Flores' impact on Stockton in an interview with Boxing Scene.
“Gabriel Flores is more than just a boxer; he's a symbol of Stockton resilience,” Sanchez said. “Our events are focused on fan participation and community connection, empathizing with local hardships.”
Here's the rest of the card for Saturday in Stockton:
In an eight-round lightweight bout, Julian Rodarte (19-1-2, 8 KOs) of Downey, California will face Andrew Rogers (8-12-3, 3 KOs) of Elkhart, Indiana.
Junior lightweight Shamar Canal (8-0, 4 KOs) of Albany, New York, is scheduled to face Mexico’s Victor Manuel Lopez Gala (5-1, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout.
Also in the junior lightweight division, Lorenzo Powell (1-0) of Sacramento, California will face Benji Gomez (0-2) of Oxnard, California in a four-round bout.
In the junior welterweight division, Steve Cannella of San Jose, California will face Adam Huck in a four-round bout in his professional debut.
Andrew Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO) will face Alejandro Robles (0-3) of Modesto, California in a four-round junior bantamweight bout.
Lucas Ketel is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). He can be reached at X @LukieBoxing.
