Boxing legend Leonard will be guest at Gloves Not Drugs event

Carlos Vieira saw no reason to wait.

The founder of the Carlos Vieira Foundation and owner of 51 FIFTY Racing and 51 FIFTY Energy Drink thought the steady growth of the Gloves Not Drugs boxing program and the growing success of the first two Gloves Not Drugs programs marked the perfect time to tie the program and event to a big name.

In the world of boxing, few names are bigger than Sugar Ray Leonard.

The boxing legend will be the special guest at Saturday’s third Gloves Not Drugs program at Livingston High School. Leonard will give a speech before the bouts begin and then be available for pictures with fans after.

The doors open at 1 p.m. The boxing, which will feature a number of youth fighters from the area as well as adults from across the state, will go from 2-5:30 p.m., and photos can be taken with Leonard from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

“We wanted to bring in a name that would not only bring notoriety to this great program and the hard work the kids have put in, but would also give them someone to look up to and aspire to,” 51 FIFTY Energy Drink general manager Samantha Yniguez said. “It’s a real boxing match, so it’s a great opportunity for the kids. But even the adult fighters are excited to go out and box in front of one of their heroes.

“The day we announced Sugar Ray was going to be there, the calls started pouring in. People wanted to know what he’d be doing there and if there would be an opportunity to meet and interact with him.”

The Gloves Not Drugs boxing program was designed to give at-risk youths in Merced County an alternative to drugs and gangs. The program is supported by the Carlos Vieira Foundation and Merced County Sheriff's Activities League and has gyms in Livingston, Atwater, Delhi and Planada.

The proceeds from the event will go to funding those gyms.

“This is definitely going to be our biggest event yet,” Carlos Vieira Foundation professional relations director Kelly Kappmeier said. “We’ve got 22 to 24 bouts set up and will have fighters ranging from 8 years old to adults.

“We’re holding it in the new gym at Livingston High School, so we’re hoping to see about 3,000 people. Sugar Ray has brought a lot of notoriety to the event both locally and from all over the state. We’ve already sold out all our VIP tables.

“The Gloves Not Drugs program has really expanded the last couple years, and hopefully the attention this event is getting will help further that expansion.”

51 FIFTY Energy Drink footed the bill for Leonard, but Kappmeier said it came at a big discount because of the former fighter’s belief in the cause.

“He’s excited to talk to the kids about avoiding drugs and the positive things that have come into his life because of boxing,” Kappmeier said.

This story was originally published March 26, 2015 at 8:36 PM with the headline "Boxing legend Leonard will be guest at Gloves Not Drugs event."