Bad Apple Boxing fighters ready for Shamrock Showdown in Yuma

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - One of Yuma’s fastest-growing boxing programs will take center stage this weekend as fighters from Bad Apple Boxing prepare to compete at the Shamrock Showdown Under the Lights, a large amateur boxing event set for Saturday at Ricky Gwynn Stadium.

The card will feature 26 total bouts, including 17 fights involving local athletes from gyms across Yuma. But many of the night’s most anticipated matchups will feature fighters from Bad Apple Boxing, a local gym that has quickly built a reputation for developing young talent.

Head coach Tyler Bialecki, a professional fighter and the founder of the program, says the goal of the event is simple: give Yuma’s young fighters a big stage without forcing them to leave town.

“We’re really excited for it,” Bialecki said. “We’re bringing USA Boxing down here with a lot of athletes. We have 17 fighters out of Yuma fighting and seven are from this gym. Normally you have to travel out to get that kind of stage, but we’re bringing that here to Yuma.”

For many amateur fighters, sanctioned events are often held in larger cities like Phoenix or San Diego, meaning young athletes must travel long distances just to gain experience in the ring. Hosting a USA Boxing event locally allows Yuma fighters to compete in front of family and friends while still building their amateur records.

Among the rising prospects from Bad Apple Boxing is 11-year-old Liam Bialecki, who is already ranked among the top five fighters in the country for his age group. Saturday’s event will give the young boxer another chance to showcase his talent in front of a hometown crowd.

“I’ve been putting in so much work and I want to show all my work on Saturday,” Bialecki said.

Another Bad Apple boxer, Francisco Perez, is also preparing for his fight and says he’s focused on trusting the preparation he and his coaches have put in.

“I’m excited to fight on Saturday,” Perez said. “I’m just trusting what my coach tells me and just doing what I do.”

While the younger fighters continue to gain experience, the spotlight of the night could belong to Nick Mondejar, whose bout is expected to be the top fight on Saturday’s card. For Mondejar, competing in front of a crowd offers a glimpse of what the future could hold in the sport.

“It gives me a taste of the future that I want,” Mondejar said. “You get a crowd around you, you get that taste of fame… just that different lifestyle.”

Other fighters are simply looking forward to the opportunity to compete. Jose Enriquez, a 13-year-old Bad Apple boxer, says he expects some nerves before the opening bell but is eager to step into the ring.

“I’m excited, a little bit nervous,” Enriquez said. “But once I’m in the ring, I’ll get to it.”

Behind the scenes, preparing for an event like this takes months of work. Bialecki says many of the athletes have spent about 12 weeks in a full fight camp, training twice a day and traveling across the region to spar against different competition.

“We’re here at five in the morning for training, then we come back at night and train again,” Bialecki said. “It takes a lot of effort from the families because we’re normally traveling to places like Phoenix or San Diego to get these kids the experience they need.”

But the event is about more than just wins and losses in the ring. Organizers say the Shamrock Showdown will also serve as a fundraiser to help send several Bad Apple fighters to national competitions, including the Junior Olympics, where they could face some of the best amateur fighters in the country.

Competing at that level can be expensive, with travel, lodging, and tournament costs often reaching thousands of dollars for each athlete.

“It takes a whole community to make that happen,” Bialecki said. “Sometimes it costs about two thousand dollars per athlete just to get them to those national events.”

For Bialecki, helping young fighters reach those opportunities is part of the mission of Bad Apple Boxing. As a professional fighter himself, he hopes the gym can help guide athletes toward bigger stages in the future.

“My job is helping these kids and grooming them to get to the big leagues,” he said. “But win, lose, or draw, they’re already winners just for getting into that ring.”

Fighters at the gym say the lessons they learn through boxing extend far beyond the sport. Honorato Medrano, a 19-year-old Bad Apple boxer, says the discipline and work ethic required in training can carry into other parts of life.

“It’s going to make you better for anything you want to do later in life,” Medrano said. “More discipline and becoming a better worker.”

Organizers are also working to make the event feel like a professional fight night, with walkouts, commentary, and a full production setup designed to give fighters the experience of performing under the lights.

Ultimately, Bialecki hopes the event showcases the talent that exists in Yuma’s boxing community while giving young athletes a platform to chase bigger dreams.

“The fights are really won here in the gym,” he said. “By the time they step into the ring, they’ve already put in the work.”

The Shamrock Showdown Under the Lights takes place Saturday at Ricky Gwynn Stadium. Doors open at 3 p.m., with the first fights scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.