New York
Andy Dominguez: I Want To Win A World Championship & Take My Mom Out Of The Hood
Andy Dominguez (6-0, 4KOs) looks to extend his undefeated record on May 14th against Edwin Reyes (8-7-3). The Mexican native last fought on the Rising Stars Promotions card dubbed “Board Walk Boxing” on March 26th, promoted by Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna. In the first round, the young flyweight prospect knocked out the veteran Filipino, Jeronil Borres (11-6-1).
Dominguez was born and raised in a small town located in Mexico City. “It’s not even on google maps,” said Andy excitedly to NYFights. A single parent, Dominguez’s mother immigrated from Mexico to the United States, searching for a better life for her and her children. Until she did, Dominguez was left in the care of his grandparents.
After some time, his mother would find work and settle the family in the New York City borough known as The Bronx. When Andy was ten years old, he would finally reunite with his mother. However, it took some time for the Mexican native to adjust to his new home. “When I got here, it was different,” Andy recalls. Dominguez continues, “It was different because I was a farm kid. My grandparents would wake me up at four in the morning to take care of the animals in the mountains with my grandfather. The food (in NYC) didn’t taste the same. I would get mad at my mom and wanted to go back to my normal life (in Mexico). I was not used to city life. Also, learning the new language was hard for me.”
Andy Dominguez pictured here with his mother on her birthday.
Andy would eventually get accustomed to his new home. However, Dominguez would soon find out that it wasn’t easy assimilating in the “concrete jungle.” “My mom would get so many calls from school. They would try to bully me, but I would defend myself. I couldn’t defend myself talking, so I had to defend myself with my hands”, recounted Dominguez.
So, it was only fitting that Andy would eventually start to train as a boxer. When he was thirteen years old, Andy began boxing at a church. Yes, at a church dubbed a boxing gym or a gym dubbed a church. Whichever it was, Dominguez would start to learn the science of pugilism at the Willis boxing gym located on Willis Avenue in the South Bronx.
Dominguez fought fifty-nine times as an amateur and won the NYC Golden Gloves three out of the four times he competed. Unfortunately, his citizenship made it difficult for Andy to travel to national and international tournaments. However, Andy did fight boxers that traveled from Puerto Rico, Ukraine, and even his native Mexico to compete in NYC tournaments.
At the age of twenty-one, the Bronx resident felt it was time to become a professional boxer. He now resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is trained by Ismael Salas, a move that Andy’s advisor set up. “The Moloney brothers (Jason and Andrew Moloney) needed some sparring, so my advisor called me and asked me if I was down to spar. They liked my style but said I had a couple of mistakes. I think you can fix them, and I think Ismael Salas could fix them. Ismael Salas took me immediately, and I have been working with him since,” said Dominguez.
Andy Dominguez is trained by the great Cuban coach Ismael Salas.
The renowned Cuban trainer has worked with over twenty world champions, including the former welterweight champion, Yordenis Ugas. The young boxer experienced immediate results under the tutelage of Salas. “I saw an immediate difference when I started working with Salas. He fixed a lot of things, and he showed me things,” said Dominguez confidently. Andy continued, “I’m Mexican, and I like to come forward when I fight. I risk getting hit with punches so I can hit back. He taught me a lot of techniques. And sometimes, I would overtrain. I would get tired, and I would be like, why? I was working extra and was still getting tired. Salas said I also needed to let my body rest. He told me, ‘Train smarter, not harder, and let your body rest. The pros aren’t like the amateurs.’ He also taught me to take my time. There are a lot of world champions at the gym- Jorge Linares, Robeisy Ramirez, Bryan Mendoza, Erislandy Lara, and Yordenis Ugas- I learn from them. Ugas watches my sparring and tells me what I’m doing wrong. I learn a lot.”
In his last fight, it was apparent that Dominguez was training at a world-class gym. He knocked out Borres with a body shot set up by closing the distance quickly and using swift footwork to create angles that allowed him to leverage his punching power.
When asked to describe his fighting style to our readers, Dominguez said, “I try to be like Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, “Finito” Lopez, or Ruben Olivares. I like using the angles.”
Andy Dominguez looks to add his name to an already talent filled division.
In his off-time, Dominguez likes to spend time with his mother in the Bronx before heading back to Las Vegas to train. Dominguez isn’t signed to a promoter and chooses just to have a manager. However, he and his team are not opposed to signing with a promoter if they are offered what he called “a good contract.”
For the remainder of the year, Andy wants to stay busy and would like to fight five more times. “It all depends on my manager. I have a good team”, said Dominguez, acknowledging that he will probably only fight three times this year.
From Mexico to New York, from the Bronx to Las Vegas, Dominguez has traveled a long road. However, it’s only the beginning. Dominguez won’t stop until he achieves his goals. “I want to win a world championship and take my mom out of the hood. I want to make enough money to be able to help other people. I’ve had so many people help me, and the only thing they tell me is to give back,” concluded Dominguez.
My Take:
Andy Dominguez is a solid prospect in the flyweight division. He’s an exciting fighter with good boxing skills who knows how to finish an opponent when he has him hurt. Along with a tenacious fighting style, his enthusiasm and charisma are infectious, which can make him a favorite amongst boxing fans if he continues to succeed.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter @DABXBomber and check out this YouTube Channel “The No Standing 8 Boxing Talk.”
