In a quiet industrial pocket of South El Monte, behind a faded door and rows of sweat-stained heavy bags, lies one of boxing’s most underappreciated sanctuaries: the South El Monte Boxing Club.
For decades, the gym has operated without the attention or accolades of Hollywood-style boxing gyms in Vegas or L.A. proper. It didn’t need them. Because long before cameras ever showed up, something more important was happening inside: lives were being rebuilt — one round at a time.
At the heart of it all is Coach Ben Lira, a quiet, disciplined trainer whose life’s work has gone far beyond fight nights.
A Humble Corner with a Legacy of Champions
While South El Monte's gym may not look like much from the outside, its impact reaches across the boxing world.
- Arnold Barboza Jr., a top contender in the super lightweight division, began his journey here, shaped by the gritty training ground and Lira’s steady hand.
- Mariana "Barbie" Juárez, one of Mexico’s most beloved world champions, trained under Lira’s guidance — becoming a trailblazer for women’s boxing in the process.
- Joseph "JoJo" Díaz Jr., Olympic talent turned world champion, grew up just blocks from the gym. He sharpened his style and mental toughness in this same space.
- Even Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, the feared world champion from Kazakhstan, has had Coach Lira in his corner as assistant trainer during parts of his decorated career.
But for every future world champ, there were dozens of kids whose victories weren’t televised — kids like me.
The Fight Outside the Ring
In the early ‘90s, I walked into South El Monte Boxing Club as a teenager on the edge. Drugs, bad decisions, and the streets had a grip on me. I didn’t have dreams of being a champion — I just wanted to get clean, get focused, and maybe stay alive.
That gym gave me all three.
Coach Lira didn’t preach. He didn’t promise miracles. But he did offer structure, discipline, and a space where I was finally judged by my effort, not my past.
I never turned pro. I never won belts. But I became something more important: a successful entrepreneur. I moved to Miami, built businesses, and carved out a life I could be proud of — all on the foundation built in that gym.
And I’m just one of many.
A Place That Still Swings
South El Monte Boxing Club is still standing. Still open. Still training young fighters — some of whom may go on to win titles, and some who may never box competitively at all. But they all walk out better than they walked in.
Coach Lira, now in his 70s, remains a steady presence. His influence echoes far beyond El Monte, felt in the careers of international champions and in the quiet success stories like mine — stories that don’t make headlines but matter just as much.
More Than a Gym
It’s easy to celebrate the champions. The headlines. The belts.
But places like South El Monte Boxing Club remind us that some of boxing’s greatest victories don’t come with applause. They come in the form of clean years, quiet success, changed paths, and steady lives.
Coach Ben Lira never asked for attention. He gave it — to the kids who needed it most.
And for that, El Monte — and the world of boxing — owes him more than we can ever put into words.
