Hundreds help raise funds for Planada boxing club for kids

A community struggling to keep its children away from gang violence received major support last week from the Merced County Sheriff’s Department and one of its own hometown heroes.

Jacob “Stitch” Duran, a Planada native and now legendary cutman for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and professional boxing, joined with sheriff’s deputies and several major sponsors to open an after-school boxing program in Planada.

Duran, now in his early 60s, was emotional Friday outside Cesar Chavez Middle School, the site of the Benefit for Boxing fundraiser for the fledgling boxing program that aims to keep kids off the streets.

“It’s overwhelming,” Duran said, fighting back tears. “I’ve been all over the world; and I grew up right across the street from here. I’m dedicating my life to helping this boxing program.”

The program, which is expected to open in the first week of May, has been organized by the Sheriff’s Department’s Activities League, spearheaded by Sgt. Buck Ledford and others.

The event drew about 400 people and raised more than $13,000, though officials were still counting the money Sunday afternoon. Much of the funding came from private donations from Merced County organizations and residents, Ledford said.

The club also received a big hand from Duran, who convinced many of his friends in Hollywood and the professional fighting world, such as Wladimir Klitschko and Sylvester Stallone, to make donations or autograph memorabilia for the event’s auction. Other Merced County natives, such as Washington Nationals pitcher Doug Fister, also chipped in with autographed pictures for the auction.

Sheriff Vern Warnke praised the efforts of Ledford and others who came up with the idea and organized the event.

“We’ve got some big issues in Planada, like the rest of Merced County, and one of the key things is finding activities for our youth,” Warnke said. “So, to have something like this that not only provides a place for kids to go but teaches them important tools they can use in life, it’s simply tremendous and it’s long overdue.”

Some of those issues include a troubling trend in recent years of gang violence involving young men. Duran said he’s kept up with news from his hometown while traveling the world.

“It’s been disappointing to hear those things because Planada was never like that before,” he said. “It was always a family-oriented community; violence like that never existed.”

Duran said he’s hopeful the boxing program will provide young people positive alternatives.

Such activities are exactly what kids such as 11-year-old Joe Gonzalez hope to find. Gonzalez, who already plays baseball and “all kinds of sports,” said he’s never boxed before.

“But I want to try it out, see what it’s like in the ring,” he said. “I always just keep myself busy (with sports), so trying this might be something new. It looks interesting.”

Interest is the only thing a young person needs to participate, organizers said.

“Kids can come and use the equipment and work out and practice things, try things and they don’t ever have to get in the ring if they don’t want to,” Ledford said.

Training and exercising is the part that boxing coach Lucy Lopez – also a Planada native – likes best. “I like training even more than I like fighting,” she said.

Lopez said focus on physical fitness and training is the program’s main philosophy and part of a long tradition in such clubs. Duran summed that idea up, saying, “We’ll teach you how to fight, so you won’t have to.”

This story was originally published March 22, 2015 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Hundreds help raise funds for Planada boxing club for kids."