August 15, 2025 • 40 mins
Albert Ochoa is back for his second Vibe With Humanity podcast, still confident, and still winning! From overweight amateur to back to back knockouts on TV in just 3 years, the Sacramento fighter opens up about the grind, the setbacks, and the wins that made him.
In this raw, inspiring conversation, Albert shares:
-How he went from no boxing background to beating a veteran with 25 pro fights
-The heartbreak of a canceled fight and the last minute gamble to fight in Costa Rica
-Balancing fatherhood, relationships, and the demands of being a pro athlete
-Growing up without a father, and the lessons he wants to pass to his son.
-His views on faith and staying mentally strong under pressure.
-What’s next for his career and his dream of bringing a major fight to Sacramento.
It’s a story about self belief, sacrifice, and building the life you want, no matter who doubts you.
00:00 Intro: Humble Beginnings to Knockouts: Albert Ochoa’s Rise
01:09 How Fatherhood Changed His Fight, Focus & Future
03:08 Heartbreak in the ring, The Fight That Got Canceled
05:05 Last Minute Costa Rica Fight: Turning Fear Into Victory
07:56 Proving Doubters Wrong & Owning His Self-Belief
09:42 Juggling Fatherhood, Relationships & a Boxing Career
13:54 Faith, Spiritual Growth & Staying Grounded in Success
19:48 Power Couple Goals, Supporting Each Other in the Ring & Life
20:24 Parenthood, Priorities & Building the Life You Want
22:29 A Tough Childhood That Built an Unbreakable Mindset
26:24 How Faith Shapes His Life, Career & Peace of Mind
29:18 Staying Positive When Life Knocks You Down
30:36 Friends, Loyalty & What Success Really Means
40:00 Big Goals Ahead, Bringing a Major Fight to Sacramento
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Started from the bottom, now I'mhere.
That's the best way to describe the journey of Sacramento boxer
Albert Ochoa. Nobody's done what I've done in
this amount. Little amount of time changed my
whole life for this sport. I I invested so much money into
this sport. What's that feel like when
you're first pro? The guy I was fighting had 25
professional fights. I'm at 1 and when people in
(00:22):
Vegas they see me like who is your manager?
Who is your promoter? I'm like I don't have any myself
and it's working. It's so good for all of us when
we see someone go for a drink. You weren't born into anything.
You have now. There's not Nothing was handed
to you. What impact do you hope to
leave? Like on youth or what?
What do you want to be known for?
What's your hardest inner battle?
I think now I just don't want tofail as a father.
(00:44):
What would that mean to you to fail?
Thank you, thank you. I'm, that's why I'm glad, you
know, my work shows, you know, Ipassed everyone up here in
boxing like no one can do what I'm doing.
Like they can't pull that even open workout with ABC.
That was a great segment. Yeah, dude, that was a big turn
out. Thank you people coming out.
(01:04):
Thank you. Thank you.
And yeah, been a lot of improvements and just
everything. I've grown so much as a person
and then as a fighter, then now father.
So it's like my life has changeda lot.
How has having the baby affectedlike change you as a man?
Perspectives. Goals.
Like what is it done? Well, having a baby, I mean, he
(01:24):
changed my life. I've always wanted a son.
So, you know, having him, he changed my life.
And I named him Ocean. Yeah, You know, he just changed
my life. He motivates me more.
It's like you're playing for keeps now.
Yeah, yeah. And you know, for me to go knock
out that guy, you know, I sacrificed so much time away
from him. You know, I'm not even with him
right now. It's been a week, but I see him
tomorrow, so I'm super happy to just be with him.
(01:46):
And they just changed my life. And I want to be better, you
know, I became better when I sawhim.
And then I've only improved not only as a fighter, but as a man
overall, and I'm a better person.
That's sick, man. Yeah.
You know, since we last talked what I've been thinking about,
like, so you got thrust overnight at 17 into the
limelight. All of a sudden you're just,
you're a celebrity, you know? But you seized it.
(02:08):
You used it. You're doing the right things
with it. You're Mr. Self Belief.
Always believe in yourself. You're trying to motivate youth.
Why do you think that happened to you?
I mean, it feels like there's a bigger.
Plan. Yeah, I think there's a bigger
plan. I know there's a bigger plan.
I, I am different. I mean, when I the one of one,
you know, I am one of one because nobody's done what I've
done in this amount. Little amount of time and yeah,
(02:31):
and three years and then now back-to-back knockouts and
they're on TV, you know, it's like.
So I'm. I'm very glad you.
Know. Well, yeah, I'm, you know, I'm
and I don't. I didn't come up in this sport.
I just started three years ago. I was fat.
No one paid attention to me. Everyone laughed at me.
And now look, I'm living my dream.
I'm really happy, very blessed. And, you know, I'm very just
(02:51):
humble with it. Everything.
What's that feel like when you're first when you're first
pro? It felt good.
Well, I knocked the guy out witha left hook.
My left hook guy is strong. I don't know.
People still say I'm weak and I'm not a real fighter.
I knocked out another fighter that had more fights than me
knocked him out with a left hookand he fell all right.
And then three months later I well, I, I get ready for another
(03:13):
big fight in LA, which was big. The arena was nice.
They're the longest boxing promotion in Cali, shout the OC
and I mean the fight didn't happen obviously.
So I was very sad and heartbroken and.
Can you say why? Well, yeah, so I'm walking out,
literally I'm, I'm ready to go. Everyone is there.
I had people fly in for me. I was like, I know I wasn't the
main event, but I was the special attraction for sure.
(03:34):
And even the promoter said that.And I'm I'm walk about to walk
out. They're like, hey, your your
fight's off. I was like, what are you talking
about? Like.
Everything went silent. I'm like, this can't be true
because we had ABC, we had the open workout, we sold tickets, I
mean, sponsors, everything was, I put so much into this camp,
you know, away from my son and Iwas just heartbroken.
(03:54):
I'm like, this can't be. So I talked to the doctors.
The doctors like, hey, your opponent got sick.
And in California, I mean, in general, he was really sick.
He lost weight overnight. He was throwing up in the back
and he looked sick when I saw him.
So the fight was off and I was just like, wow.
I felt so bad for the people that flew in, drove 8 hours to
see me. Even the fans that came to see
me. I was like, wow, it really hurt,
(04:16):
you know, just for the people, that's what I felt the worst,
you know, for the people that came to see me and spent their
hard earned money, that really broke my heart and I didn't know
what to do, you know, And then, you know, shout out to, you
know, Maricela, she made a few phone calls and I did made a few
phone calls too. And we're trying to figure out
what to where to fight it like right now.
(04:38):
And I was getting calls for saying, oh, in four weeks, 5
weeks next week or No, 5 weeks next month.
I'm like, I can't wait a whole month.
I'm going to Sacramento. I'm, I'm flying to New York to
I'm flying to Seattle the next week and stuff like that.
So I can't just do that, you know, And I just spent three
months, you know, at the gym allday and especially just had a
baby and the weight cut. And I, and I moved another
weight cut. Yeah.
(04:58):
I weighed in at 142, right. That's crazy.
Yeah, that is 142. Yeah.
And you know, so, and then she made a few phone calls and I was
just like, they're like, hey, wecan get you on a fight in Costa
Rica on TV on Saturday. And this is Thursday night.
I'm like, well, Costa Rica is not around the corner.
That's 1012 hours away plus the time change.
(05:20):
And then I had to think about it.
We went back to the hotel room and then but the guy was
fighting, had 25 fights, 25 professional fights.
I'm at 1. I don't care what nobody says.
No one gets in the ring with someone with 25 fights.
And doesn't feel fear. Fear, I was scared, but no.
But even then, when they build you up as a fighter, no one gets
in the ring with 20. A veteran like that, especially
(05:43):
me coming not coming from this sport.
People usually fight a guy like that like years into the game.
Yeah, it makes sense. And I did that after one fight.
So I got, I was scared. I told Mike I was like, I don't
know, like, I don't think this is a good chance.
The guy was bigger. I had to fly over there and then
I'm like, you know, I'm just going to trust God, trust
myself. I worked my butt off and I
(06:03):
needed a fight. So I was like, all right, let's
go. So I booked the flights and we
got to Costa Rica and I was so tired.
I got there in the morning, I fought at night.
I was so tired trained. I was tired.
I was cramping in that fight. Oh wow, I.
I mean, you can't land and then fight like it's physically
impossible. Plus the elevation.
I had everything against me and I was I walked out.
(06:25):
I was like, OK, this is my time.And I I took the fight because I
wanted to show I had balls. I wanted the respect from people
that be like, oh, he's not a real fighter.
Oh, he's a celebrity fighter. All this BS that you hear that
you see all the time. I'm like, you know what, I'm
going to go do this fight, take this fight and I'm going to beat
this guy. I wanted to show I want my
respect that people don't give me.
And a lot of people do, but a lot of people don't, you know,
and I'm like, dude, what is it going to take more?
What do you guys want? So I go in there and right away
(06:48):
that guy comes at me and he's bigger.
He's like 6/1. He had 20 lbs on me.
He was huge because I cut weight.
I couldn't gain the weight back up and he hit hard.
I was like, oh wow, you got me on that one.
And then the second round came, I'm like, dude, I hit his head.
That hurt me. That hurt my hand.
His head was so freaking hard, right?
And I was just like, wow. So I'm like, OK, Then my knuckle
(07:10):
was messed up. I don't know if you can still
see like, so my knuckle was still swollen.
I hit his head hard. And I'm like, damn, that hurt
me. Yeah.
And I'm like, OK. And then, you know, and my team,
they were like, hey, the body's open.
I'm like, OK, well, the body, I got to get close to you, you
know, and this guy's 61 big. I'm 5-10, you know, so I, I
mean, I see it and then I just bring it all that left to the
(07:32):
body. It was perfect.
Right in the liver and he buckled.
Buckled. Yeah, buckled.
It was just. Rocky Balboa stuff.
I was super happy and I knocked him out and you know, it was a
good night. I, you know, I gambled on myself
and I and I took the chance again.
Once again I did it again. Back-to-back knockouts, no
boxing experience and he had 25 professional fights.
(07:53):
There's that confidence too. I love that.
Yeah. I, dude, I've, you know, we've,
I've seen Conor McGregor's and people like that, that speak
their dreams so confidently. But to see it in person, like to
see you do it like on TV and just nobody's done what I've
done and everybody doubts me andthis and I'm just like, damn,
that's what this looks like. Like That's where does that come
from, the self belief. I think just, I mean, I was like
(08:15):
this when I was 17. When I was a kid.
I always felt different than allthese kids.
You know, even people might right now, they're going to the
club on the weekends, every weekend and you know, they're
going, they're working a job they don't like.
And it's cool. If that's how you want to live
your life, that's cool. I'm not that breaking that.
But for me, I want to live an extraordinary life.
I want to do these things that I'm going to do.
And the things I'm doing are very different.
It's very hard. And I'm gambling all on myself.
(08:37):
And you know, people don't see what I really go through like
this. You know, it's very hard
emotionally, mentally and peopletalking meds, you know, people
that are still doubting. I mean, it does hurt a little
bit. You know, I'll be honest, it
does hurt. But that motivates me.
Like keep talking about about me, keep talking about me in
general. I mean, I'm getting talked about
all the time. So like keep doubting me because
I'm going to keep proving them wrong.
(08:57):
And they're still watching. I mean, you saw the open
workout, so many people came. I was so blessed.
I was so blessed to have that. And I'm glad you came to see
and, and I know it's I'm going to change the game even more in
Sacramento. And, you know, and I want to
bring everyone together. I want to make it exciting.
Yeah. And I'm, we're in Sacramento
Jersey, you know, I'm from Sacramento, out of Las Vegas.
And. Yeah.
You know, it's cool as your lastepisode here.
(09:19):
Yeah. Not a single negative comment.
Yeah. Like, isn't that cool?
Like, yeah. No, it's cool, Yeah.
People want to hate what you accomplished and stuff but when
you came on and like showed yourself and show nobody, nobody
hated. Yeah, what did you do?
The small mentality, people. Yeah, the other, you know that
so. Yeah.
Dude, you mentioned it's hard. It can be tough on you
emotionally. Like what's your hardest inner
(09:40):
battle? I think now I just don't want to
fail as a father. I think that's my thing.
I don't want to fail. I don't want to fail for him
because I didn't have a dad growing up, you know, and.
I didn't know that. Yeah, I didn't have, I was
raised by a single mom work. Damn, I didn't know that.
And she worked her butt off. And you know, I fell in love
with basketball, with sports. Wow, You, you made really good
(10:01):
decisions growing up. Yeah, that's great.
Just. I I didn't party, I didn't
drink, I didn't smoke. And that's OK.
If people do that, that's OK. But I didn't want to do that
because I I knew I wanted something different and I knew
something was going to happen. And I didn't think the TV show
was Kylie Jenner was going to happen.
That happened. And and and then it segued now
to being a professional boxer. I wanted to be a professional
basketball player. Same thing, but different
(10:23):
sports. Obviously still got to work your
butt off. But I mean, I knew something was
going to be happening, like in my life.
That's extraordinary. Yeah, I felt it.
I knew it. Is that why you'd made good
decisions? I think.
I mean, I made good and bad decisions.
Obviously no one's perfect, but.The big ones you've hit, right?
Yeah, the big ones I've hit, right.
I would say that, you know, I'm not perfect.
I still have my flaws, but overall I feel like I am a good
(10:44):
person. I have a good heart and I don't
want to, you know, my intentionsto people aren't to mess like
take advantage of them. Some people want to take
advantage of me and just in general in life, you know, for
me, I don't want to take advantage of anyone.
I have a good heart. I'm always going to try to help
someone, even if they try to screw me over first.
And it's crazy, the train that people are on my train that
talked messed with at me in the beginning.
(11:05):
I literally had a text from someone that switched up on me
as I was driving here. I'm like, dude, I am not going
to respond. You literally talk so much
garbage. You blocked me and then you
texted my phone. Like Congrats, bro.
I'm like. And this guy is 45 years old.
Mind you, this isn't a kid. Like I'm like, dude, this is
crazy. You know, people, they're so
small minded. Yeah.
(11:25):
So everybody wants the extraordinary, but they're not
willing to pay the extraordinaryprice.
No. With it.
No. That's what they don't see
behind the scenes, the work you're putting in and the weight
cuts. Yeah.
Endless workouts. And every time we talk, I'm just
leaving the gym. I'm just getting to the gym.
I'm just leaving the gym. Like Dang, yeah, I'm really.
Dedicated I, I've changed my whole life for this sport.
I, I invested so much money intothis sport and you know
(11:46):
everything that's happened, I made it happen like and when
people in Vegas, they see me like who is your manager?
Who is your promoter? I'm like, I don't have any
myself. Taking it to the streets.
Yeah, and, and it's working, andI thank God every single day and
I thank myself. But overall it's like, I just
don't want to fail as a father. Like, minus all this other
stuff, you know, I just don't want to fail as a father.
Yeah, you said that. What is that?
What would that mean to you to fail?
(12:07):
I think just not be in his life,not be the best role model I
can, you know, I know a lot of people look up to me, but it's
different when I see that baby. And for sure, yeah, it really
hits me different. So for sure.
And then me winning that fight, I'm like, Dang, I wanted to win
because I can go back home now to you as a winner.
And I didn't want to fail. And I knew he had kids, but I'm
not trying to see my kid see me get beat up, you know, like it's
(12:28):
gonna be so. Yeah.
So. That's awesome.
Yeah. And even if it did, I have a
feeling you'd be as humble in defeat as you would in victory.
And your son would see that like, damn, you can take that
like a man, too. And then just keep going for the
next goal. And yeah, but.
Dude, you work hard man. Thank you.
Thank you. And to do that, you know, we
flew across the world for this fight and I did it again, and
(12:49):
I'm going to do it again one more time this year.
Are you? Yeah, we have one more fight
this year and I'm excited for it.
Probably going to be like September, October, OK, And
that'll come quick. Yeah, it's going to come quick.
So I'm just here enjoying my time, my family and going to
celebrate, you know, if you'd been eating a lot of food.
So yeah, I'm just happy, Yeah. I've been eating a lot of food,
yeah. Especially after the weight cut.
(13:09):
Yeah, burgers. Pizza.
Dude, I'm still blown away that you grew up without a dad.
Like what? Yeah.
What was the hardest part of that?
I think I was just confused. I mean, you know, I love my mom,
you know, but as a man, as a little boy, you know, you're
confused and it hurts. It feels like you did something
wrong. And for me now having my boy, I
don't want him to think something's wrong with him of
(13:31):
why I'm not in the picture. And yeah, I, I, I don't want him
confused. I don't want him even hurt.
But I know because this world's already evil already, you know,
so much negativity in this world.
And I know he's going to experience that as when he gets
older. But as a father, I want him to
say like, that's my dad. He's my role model and I'll
always be there for him. That's my rock.
Yeah. He'll be there no matter what I
do. Yeah, that's sick, man.
(13:52):
I like that. Thank you.
You're one thing you're big on too, is spiritual Wellness,
right? Like, I'm curious because you're
also a man of faith. Yeah.
So like, how do you how do you balance like God's plan versus
universe or faith versus? Spirituality, I think overall it
it's God, you know, I wouldn't have made it this far without
God, you know and I feel like the people that are very lost in
(14:13):
this world they don't have God. God is bringing brought me peace
even when people switched up on me when I was never in the
wrong. You know, people hurt me and and
and switched up on me that I trusted and and it sucks but I
know God has a bigger purpose. You've moved a lot of people out
of my life, this fight and it hurt.
But I'm look now, I mean, I'm, I'm happy.
(14:33):
I'm living my dream. I have a beautiful son.
I I, I'm a better man. And yeah.
Awesome wife. Yeah.
Beautiful. Solid.
Exactly. Yeah.
I'm. I'm really power couple.
Thank you. Thank you.
And I'm really happy overall. I'm just really happy and I'm at
peace and no one could take thataway from me, even if they don't
like me or not. OK.
Thank you for your comment. But I'm living in my dream.
(14:55):
You're still watching me, you know?
Yeah, Yeah, I still watch. Thank you for your comment and
thank you for the attention. As well so it's and then seeing
like everything that I had overcome this, this fight with
the open workout and doing it all on my own.
I I did that all on my own and. And that blows my mind.
I thought, like, I think people think you've got a promoter and
a publicist and all, you have a whole team around.
(15:15):
They, they think that they a lotof people was like who sets this
up for you? Who sets up these meetings?
Who sets up these workouts? And for the media days, me.
So how did that cause dude, that's one thing you mentioned.
Like there's so many people, especially like 18 to 22 that
are looking down the barrel of ajob I hate or chasing my dreams
and they see you doing it. You've got the huge platform and
(15:36):
stuff. What like how do you, how do you
start building that? I think, I mean, every situation
is different. So I mean, if you have kids
early on and you have to work toprovide and then stick with
that. But when you're off of work,
plan what you want to do. Push, push your push your heart
and just put together a plan. For me, I wrote down a plan of
(15:57):
what I wanted to do when I joined boxing.
You know, I was fat, but I saw aglimpse of what I could do.
I saw myself on the TVI saw myself talking to these
champions and these guys believing in me and I saw that.
I saw me winning. I saw me just getting better and
having that star power. And no one saw that when I
walked into the gym. I remember when I walked in, no
one cared to see say hi to me. And but I I knew what I can do.
(16:20):
It's just going to take time. And I knew, OK, if I take this
step, it's going to lead me to another step.
You take another step, it's going to lead you to another.
And just little by little, it all adds up.
And yeah, I mean, now looking atit three years later, I mean, I,
I've jumped a lot of, you know, a lot of bridges and I jumped a
lot of slots. Yeah, so make a plan.
How did you know it was boxing? Like was that just like shown to
(16:42):
you or did you pick boxing? Have you always thought about?
It no, never, never. I just was a basketball player
all my life. But obviously I'm not your
height, so but I, I mean, I don't know, I just walked into
the gym and I wanted to try it out.
And then I fell in love with thesport.
And then as I kept getting better, more people started to
come me train randomly, you know, even from, like, San
Francisco. They would come see me.
(17:03):
I'm like, Dang, you saw me. Yeah.
He's like, yeah, I have you on Facebook, and I just wanted to
see what you got. Oh, wow.
Thank you. You know, even though I'm not
good, you know, even right now, I don't think I'm the best
writer in the world. But I'm going to keep going, you
know? I don't, you know, so yeah.
And I just saw, I just kept picking up.
And then the news came. I'm like, dude, I can't even
move my head and you know, or, or fight right now, you know,
And then more fans started, you know, and then people started
(17:25):
hating on me right away. And then I'm like, what is going
on? But there was something here.
I felt this wouldn't just be happening if if God didn't want
me to, you know, I wouldn't havewon my last fight or the other
one or I wouldn't even knock them out.
You know, this has to be God in my, in my, it has to be where
I'm going. I think so.
If you look at the impact it's having on people, 'cause you are
(17:45):
inspiring people to be better. Yeah.
You know, like your, your motto is literally believe in
yourself. Yeah, always believe in.
Yourself. Always believe in yourself and
that's. What you're doing with the
platform, of course God's gonna amplify that.
Yeah, and the and the youth is looking up to me.
More and more kids are seeing and looking up to me.
And even, you know, people that are way older than me, you know,
like there was a lot of older people at my open workout. 56
years. Yeah.
(18:06):
You're still. Yeah.
Yeah, Yeah. That's yeah.
But you know, I'm like, damn, like that means so much to me,
you know, because no one believed in me me when I first
walked into this gym. And even now people don't even
believe me. But I still have that fan base
and I still have a lot of peoplethat still support me and love
me. But I just want to keep
inspiring. I think that that drives me.
And you know, I want to keep being better for the youth and
for just anyone, because there'salways a way out.
(18:28):
A way out of a life you don't like.
Or yeah, a life that you don't like.
I mean, if you always want to bebetter, there's always a way to
get better. Or to get.
If you're right here, there's always a way to get here and
then here and then here and justkeep going.
And right now, I mean, I'm building, you know, I feel good
and but I'm not like satisfied with why I'm.
I'm happy, but I'm not satisfiedbecause I know I got to take it
another notch. And this next fight I have to,
(18:49):
it's going to even be up here now.
You know, the last one was righthere and the other one was right
here. Now I'm going to go up here.
So yeah. Yeah, are you still looking to
do 10 fights and and call it or you're not sure now?
I mean, I still say 10 fights, still say 10, and then yeah,
we're just taking one step at a time, but this next one's going
to be 3, so I'm happy. How's your wife doing dude?
(19:09):
New baby and success and she's doing her thing.
Like how's she doing? She's doing really well.
She's actually having a comebackfight next month, so I'm really
happy for her. She missed it and you know,
she's ranked #2 still in the world.
And you know, she pushed me so much this fight, you know, cuz I
was asked was like, hey, do you think I could do it?
Do you think I could be this guyeven flying to Costa Rica?
(19:30):
I'm like, hey, I know we're here, but do you think I could
be like, you're going to be OK If you know what you're like,
how you trained, you can do it. She always believes on me.
And now it's her turn, you know,to have her come back fighting
out with the baby. So yeah, that's where I'm going.
I'm going to Seattle tomorrow. She's going to have her training
camp where she's from in Washington, and she's going to
be there for the month, and so will I.
(19:51):
And yeah, just push her as much as I can and be there for her
and the baby. That's awesome man.
Have you guys thought out goals as a couple?
Like where you wanna be and whatyou wanna do?
I mean, she wants to do one morefight and then retire.
She's been in the game quite some time for me.
She knows my goal. She knows that I wanna be in and
out and yeah, then after, you know, we just want to be at
(20:14):
peace and just live our life happy and just keep, you know,
just accomplishing stuff together, even in business,
outside of business, but just grow as a family and then just
be a better person for our baby now.
You want more kids? I mean, I, I wouldn't mind it,
but I mean, I'm honestly really happy with one.
(20:36):
I'm really happy I got my boy. I, I, he's one of one, you know,
so I would always be there for him.
And I know with another kids, yeah, you can have a big time
and that's great. But I would tell him, hey, you
should have more kids and I'll be there for you to help you
with your two, three kids that you're going to have.
And I will do that. You know, maybe not have a kid
at 18, but I will be there. But if you have three, I will be
(20:57):
there. And for sure I would.
But I really just, I'm OK with one because I want to be able to
be there for them all the time. You know, if I have 3-4 kids, I
mean, realistically you can't give.
I mean, you can't be there all the time with four kids and give
them 100%, a hundred percent, 100%.
Realistically, you could be there but then someone.
Yeah. And I and but with one, I know I
(21:19):
could be there 100% and be therefor them and guide them and, and
I mean, I could do it with more kids, yes.
But you know, kids are so pure and I.
And if I can't give them 100% right now, why bring them into
this world? Because that's selfish to me.
You know, I don't want to be selfish.
I don't want them confused. I don't want them hurt and
that's why I don't want it. Not because of money or the
time, but it's just I don't wantto hurt them and I want to be
(21:41):
there 100% and I know with him Ican be there 100%.
For sure dude, if and when that time comes.
Like it's hard to describe but your heart grows.
Like your ability to give and receive love.
Like you'll be able to give as much to the next one as you are
to this one. Three.
That's where. You start getting weird.
(22:03):
That's where I don't know how people do it.
I know, I know. And honestly, I'm really happy
with one. I know she wants more, too, but
we're both happy with one, too. Even though she comes from a
family of what, 10? There's nine sisters, six
sisters, one brother. Yeah, she has a big family.
Wow. And for me, it was just me and
my sister. But I mean, I still come from a
big family, the extended family.But yeah.
(22:25):
But right now, just one. Right now, once again, fair
enough. Yeah.
Do you have a support system around you to like help bounce
decisions off of and life paths and stuff?
I mean, she does. She supports me a lot.
I mean, my mom, my family, yeah.I mean, I would say I have a
few, you know, my God mom as well.
My God mom raised me, my God momand my mom.
(22:47):
And she was hard on me. Yeah, I remember like.
Like hard as in strict where it was like, hey, there's a
fingerprint on the microwave so you're not going to go to the
family party. That's strict.
I'm like, Anna, are you serious?Like 1 fingerprint.
And then she's like, just for that, I'm not taking you to the
gym either. I'm like, and I love the gym.
Going from a kid when you're 14,you want to go to the gym.
She didn't take me. She's like, you should have made
sure everything was clean in this kitchen and your chores
(23:09):
were done. And she was hard, but she made
me the man I am today. And I think her lying a lot of
my success is because of her andmy mom.
Those two women, like they, theypushed me so hard where it did
hurt like, and she's told me, you know, she was maybe a little
too hard, but she didn't know either.
She was learning to, you know, having me.
And you know, we had dinner yesterday and I would do
(23:30):
anything for both of them. But Anna really pushed me so
hard where it was like, like, I was four years old shaking
people's hands. Kids don't do that now.
You know, I was scared. I think, yeah, I was four years
old. She's like, if you don't shake
everyone's hand in this house, you're not going to go to the
next family party. And then she's like, did you
shake my grandpa's hand? I mean, I'm four years old.
And then, you know, seeing that is very scary.
(23:50):
And I remember I didn't shake her uncle's hand.
And I'm like, how did you find that out?
She's like, I asked him, hey, did he shake your hand?
He said, no, I didn't. And I'm, and yeah, it was very
hard. But now that that helps me with
meetings, I'm, I'm, I'm OK to walk into a room, feel happy.
I can shake everyone's hand, talk to them.
And now kids don't do that anymore.
Young men don't do that anymore.The communication sucks,
obviously. And she made sure I was
(24:12):
communicating at 4:00 with thesegrown people.
Yeah. So it's important, dude.
It is important. It is very important.
And now having a boy, you know, I want him to be the same way.
Hey, you need to shake everyone's hand.
I don't care if you see it or not.
Like go do it and that's gonna help you when you're older cuz
it helped me yeah so. Yeah, that fear, that piece of
fear that makes that hard shows up in so many other areas of
(24:33):
life. And if you, when you learn, oh,
you just push through it, it doesn't mean the fear is gonna
go away. You just keep pushing through
it. Yeah, that's a big lesson.
Yeah. That comes from have a little
kids answer. Yeah, it did.
A lot of that is improved in meetings, school.
I mean, everything women. When I walked up to my body, I
mean, I shook her hand, you know, and I told that.
(24:54):
And my mom was like, yeah, like I, I learned that at 4:00.
So when I walked up to her, she was like, Dang, like, no guys
really walk up to me. And she doesn't give anyone the
time of day. But for me to walk up to her,
she was like, wow, like, who areyou?
You know, So yeah. And then now she's been attached
since. So.
Yeah. You you still big on like the
positive thinking law of attraction stuff.
No, I I definitely believe in law of attraction and, and, and
(25:16):
manifestation. I definitely believe in all
that. You know, your tongue is so
powerful, you know, and I speak so much to existence and it
happens like even this fight, I wanted to fight and I wanted to
knock this guy out and it happened again.
You know, I wanted to look good doing it.
I did it again on a highlight reel that some of these pros
that been doing it since they were can't even stop someone
with a liver shot. And I did that.
(25:38):
So yeah, I mean, I everything I've gone, I've spoke to
existence, you know, even with aboy, with having my boy, I
wanted a boy. And how Maddie had six sisters
and one brother. My odds weren't looking.
Really. Yeah, but I knew I was going to
have a boy. I'm like, I'm going to have a
boy. I'm going to have a boy.
I told her. I told her.
Mom, they're like, you're crazy.And look, I have a boy.
That's sick. Yeah.
(25:59):
So yeah, it is kind of the hardest part, dude.
Speaking your dream, speaking itpublicly, speaking it to people
close to you. If you can do that like that,
you're you're 80% of the way there.
Yeah, exactly, Exactly. People starting.
Yeah, people are speaking negative, like, oh, I have
nothing going for me, I'm fat. I'm this well, Dang, you keep
saying that. Say something good for once.
(26:19):
I promise he's going to. That will change.
I promise you, your life will change once you start speaking
better about yourself. So you pray too.
Yeah, I pray a lot, you know, I pray for my food.
I pray for, you know, just to bea better person.
I pray to God today, you know, just about like, please just
protect me and protect the baby and and my family and just to
guide me to be a better person because I know I'm not perfect
(26:40):
but and no one is. But still I, I have a lot of
flaws and inner things, emotion that hurt me still and that's
OK. You know, more men should speak
about it and. Like about like stuff from
childhood or? I mean, maybe that.
I mean, maybe just the way of life, the pressure of life, you
know, the pressure of being a man, you know, now a father and
now professional fighter. Yeah, I got pressure all the
(27:02):
time. But but what's crazy is I do
better under pressure, like whenmy back is against the wall, I
always shine like that. Even though open workout there
was pressure there because I hadto look great for sure.
I looked really great. For you, yeah.
You did. And then the fight, I had my
back against the wall. I had to fly across the world
and fight the same day. And somehow I did it.
And I I always perform better under pressure, and pressure
(27:24):
makes diamonds. So yeah.
That's sick dude. It's different for everyone, but
like you said, you pray for guidance.
Where do you get the guidance? Like how do you hear back from
God or how do you know like, oh,that's I prayed about that.
This looks to be the answer to that.
Or I mean, does that happen for you?
I mean, I think just with the situations he puts you in and
(27:45):
then just day by day, I mean, I keep praying for guidance and I
feel like I'm leading. I'm following his lead and and
trusting him and that goes through that, how that fight
opened up hours after my fight got cancelled.
I mean, that was God. I mean, even if I didn't fight,
I mean, it was, it's still God. I wouldn't be here without God.
I wouldn't be like where I'm at without God.
(28:06):
So I mean, everyone's different.I mean, God has a relationship
with everyone, but I just know that I got to just keep going
and trusting him. The moment you don't trust him
is when you are lost. Dude, it's scary too.
Like wait, this whole thing is just on me.
Like this whole life and earthlyexistence and these decisions
I'm making for other people thatare relying on me, just me,
(28:29):
there's nothing like, wow, no thanks.
Yeah, I know it's very hard. And you know, now I have being a
father's like I, I have to keep going and I want to keep going.
That's the thing. I want to keep going.
Like I I took him to get his haircut for the first time and I
was so happy doing it. You know, I didn't care about
the price. I didn't care about anything,
but I was so happy doing that and that made my day and I
(28:49):
wanted to do that. You know, I could I have to, but
I wanted to be that do the taking first.
First, I want to do those thingsfrom because I didn't really
have that. I didn't have that at all as a
kid. And that brought me so much joy
than me winning the fight, Yeah.That's so cool.
You get to do what you didn't have.
Yeah, that's that's got to be just that gives me goosebumps,
(29:09):
man. That's got to feel really good.
Yeah, because, you know, I didn't have a dad and now with
him I can, you know, he makes mehappy and I just want to be
there from every single day. Do you think that still effects
you like today not having a dad?Do you think it affects
relationships or decisions? I think it did growing up with
relationships and and partners and stuff like that.
But I think now my age, I mean, I'm still young, you know, but I
(29:33):
think now is. You're a wise young.
Yeah, I'm a. Wise young.
Yeah, I feel like I'm very smart.
I'm ahead of my time, but I don't think it affects me
anymore. It's just more like, OK, that's
just life. That's what my life.
That's my story, you know? Now I have my own son, so it
doesn't matter what I go throughbecause I want to be there for
him like I want. I'm going to like lead him as
(29:54):
best as I can and damn, that's. So sick dude.
Can I ask where? How come you didn't have a dad?
Well, just my family, they got adivorce, my parents got a
divorce at a young age. And I mean my mom took care of
me all my life from what I remember.
So and what I know and and my and my God mom is my mom and God
mom my whole life. And you know, just shout out to
(30:14):
them. You know women can raise a man.
Damn, I mean women, man. Yeah, they're they're bad.
Yeah, they really are. Yeah.
And I owe them a lot. All everything that's happening
to me is because of those two women.
Good and yeah, good and bad. Yeah.
Yeah. All my successes for them and
because of them. That's awesome.
Do you have a relationship with them now?
(30:36):
My parent, yeah, yeah, I we, I mean, it's as much as it can,
you know, you can't force someone to be a parent.
You can't force anyone to be in your life, you know.
So it's a two way St. And I mean, at the end of the
day, I know me becoming a father, I have to be there now,
you know, for my son. If I can't force someone that
doesn't want to be there for me,whether it's a father, a friend
(30:59):
or anyone. So that's all that matters at
this point is me being there formy son.
That's very true. That's awesome.
So you don't have to let that weigh on you.
You're like, I'm breaking that. Yeah, yeah.
And I feel like I broke a lot ofcycles.
And you know me, I feel like I'malready a better dad than my own
dad. 100%, yeah, 100% you're here.
(31:19):
You're leading them to faith. You're chasing your dreams,
which is good for not just your kid, but humanity.
Yeah. It's so good for all of us when
we see someone go for a dream because especially when people
get to watch the whole thing like you.
You weren't born into anything. You have now.
There's nothing was handed to you so people can see, oh, this
came one step at a time. Like maybe I can do that too.
(31:43):
Yeah. So what impact do you hope to
leave, like on youth or what? What do you want to be known
for? I mean, I want to be known for
someone that just always chase their dreams and always that
never gave up on when people didn't believe in me.
Like, I want like, some I want them like a kid or anyone to be
like, Albert can do it. Why can't I?
(32:03):
Yeah. And I think that's what
motivates me a lot. And then especially going back
to having a son, you know? But I just want to show people
that you could do anything you want in this world.
Me doing this sport, boxing is technically the number one, the
most hardest sport. And for me it's working.
And I didn't grow up in a sport.So like, that already is a win
for me and and I'm showing people you can do anything you
want in this world. And dude, I think people you
(32:25):
understand, like the boxing thing, you literally just walked
into a gym and thought, let me try it and then moved to Las
Vegas and said I'm just going todo it right.
I mean, it was that that. Simple, and I made it a career
and a job I really have. And you find your own sponsors
and stuff like that and. Yeah, the, the endorsement
sponsors, the trainers, you know, have really high level
(32:46):
people around me and they know Iwork hard and I and I work hard
and I really do. And people still think I'm not a
real fighter and that's OK because I mean, they're focusing
on me and I'm focusing on myself, so.
I mean, a win's a win, dude. Like of course, put someone
against a quote, real fighter and that person wins.
I mean, he's a real fighter. I.
Mean, yeah, you can Google it. I mean, I'm on Boxrec where all
(33:08):
the other professional fighters are in, and I don't know how
that doesn't mean you're not a pro.
I don't know. I don't get it, you know, so,
but I think those people don't matter, you know, none of the
negative. It doesn't matter.
This sport doesn't even matter. It's just about how you are as a
person, and I want to be a good person.
What does that mean to you? Just someone that, you know, has
a good heart that doesn't want to take advantage of people
(33:30):
because yeah, good intentions. So many people take advantage of
people and people have negative when they see some, they're
going to take advantage. I've been taking advantage of so
many by this sport of boxing, bytrainers, by managers, by by a
lot of people, friends. And I'm like, Dang, that was
your intentions being in my life, taking advantage of
someone. My intentions with you was to
(33:51):
help you to be there for you. You know, I gave clothes to
people that didn't even have clothes, but their intentions
was still to try to screw me. And that's what's crazy do.
You think it was the whole time?Or do you think some people get
caught up and watching your success in there and it they
lose control of their own moralsand stuff?
I think both, but overall though, if you switch up
randomly you've never had good intentions coming into it.
That's a good point. So I've always had good
(34:13):
intentions with anybody. Like I've never screwed anybody.
And, and, and I and I 100% believe that I never have.
Yeah, so. You can feel it too, like once
you once someone did flip on you, did you realize that whole
time? Like, I kind of felt that.
Like, I was seeing it. Yeah, there's signs early, but
you don't want to think of that.And then when it happens, it
happens. But, you know, at the end of the
(34:35):
day, those people that switched up on me, they've never got,
they've always needed me more than I needed them.
They've never done better than me either.
So all those people that switched up and and, you know,
try to screw me, they've never done better than me since they
left my life. So, yeah.
And I think that's why I'm at peace.
God removed a lot of people. He removed my last best friend
in my corner. Damn.
(34:55):
My last brother that I considered, we did business
together and you removed him. Out if I removed you mean like?
Like he's not in my life anymoreat all.
And. Because behavior was revealed.
And yeah, behavior. And then me and being in this
sport and I'm like, dude, we've been brothers, we've done
business, we've had each other'sbacks, and you're just switching
over me. So random.
Dang, They heard me ask him to be the godfather to my kid and
(35:15):
he didn't care. I'm like wow.
What happened? I have no idea to this day.
Like no idea. And by switch you mean he
started just hating? Or just, I mean hating, not
believing in me anymore and justsays there's a weird energy
about you now. I'm like, well, how?
Like please help me. And then I have all the texts,
phone calls and I really don't know.
I really don't. But I wish him the best.
(35:36):
And I know he's a little lost, but you know, I wish him the
best. But when people leave my life,
just like the guy that texted me, oh, congrat.
Like, dude, you left my life three years ago.
Now you're texting me a good job.
I'm like, thank you, but I don'tneed you in my life anymore.
That's so crazy dude. You won't talk shit about him.
I really respect that. You just that's that says a lot
(35:56):
right there man Thank. You thank you.
You know what it means a lot. And you know, again, I just want
to be a better person overall. That's really, really cool,
dude. Thank you.
Thank you. Anything you want to talk about?
I mean any story you want to tell the.
Story. Advice.
Advice, I mean advice just, you know, believe in yourself no
matter what you know, people aregoing to hate you, people are
(36:16):
going to talk about, about you, but that don't matter.
If you believe yourself 100% youwill succeed.
I believe that if you, if you have $0.00 in your bank account,
if you don't have a car, you will succeed if you believe in
yourself 107% because I've dealtwith that too.
I, I didn't have a lot of thingsas growing up or just in
general, I didn't have a lot as a grown man.
(36:37):
And now I, I have some things which are cool, but even
materialistic things don't even matter.
You know, it's, it's overall howyou are as a person and how you
are with God. That's all that matters.
But if you want like the nice cars and nice things, I mean,
you still can, it's not a bad thing, you know, but you can go
get that. If you want to live a happy
life, you still can. Like there's a way out.
You just have to believe in yourself first.
(36:58):
You think if you chase God before anything else, all the
other stuff will fall into line?Yeah, I think so.
I believe so. You know cuz when I didn't I
have God in my life, I was very confused and lost.
Then I started believing in God.Well not started but just
getting my relationship back with God.
And now look I I've climbed the ladder so much.
And you're at peace. And I'm at peace.
(37:19):
Peace. I'm, I'm really at peace.
I really am. I'm living the, my life that I
wanted even as a kid, you know, and I'm, you know, I'm a
professional athlete and I'm very happy.
Even if I wasn't a professional athlete, I would still be happy.
I believe it. I really do, man.
Thank you. That's sick.
Yeah, there's a peace chasing God.
I, I kind of share with you. I'm pretty new, like just
(37:40):
surrendered to Jesus and the, the whole concept of, you know,
the, the whole thing. And yeah, dude, there's, there's
there's a piece that's undeniable.
I've never felt anything like it.
I've chased every drug, every spiritual path, a financial
success, Just there's nothing like that feeling of just, I
don't even know how to describe it, dude.
(38:01):
It's like stepping out of a darkcave into the sunlight.
You just know. Yeah, you just know everything's
going to be OK Like whatever this is, I'm just going to go
that way. Yeah, yeah.
And I knew me fighting Costa Rica.
Oh, my God, You brought this opportunity.
I think this is what it what you're telling me to go do.
And I'm glad I trusted him and trusted myself.
And look, I got a great knockouthighlight reel that's going to
(38:24):
be forever there. For sure, For sure.
Yeah. So you like eating out and stuff
too? Yeah.
I mean, I'm celebrating taking alittle time off.
Yeah, I've been eating a lot. Way too much actually.
I've been eating pizza. I had pizza like 3 times this
week and then burgers. And I had French toast today,
but there was like, like chocolate all over good.
I was in Folsom eating chocolate, like chocolate,
French toast. I'm like, Oh my goodness.
(38:44):
Where at? It was some breakfast place
right on Folsom and a corner. It's OK pretty popular.
I forgot the. Name Mario's No.
No, it was a diner. Very popular.
Right there by the water. Folsom like right there.
Yeah, yeah. Oh, Susie's.
Yeah, I mean, maybe. Maybe.
That's what I don't know. Yeah, But either way, about
Susie's. Yeah, I've been eating pretty
(39:05):
good and I need to calm it down a little bit, but I've been
enjoying myself. When when do you start?
Like OK, start training again. Like, I mean, my fight was only
what, Saturday? I mean, today's only Saturday,
yeah. So I mean it's only been like 6
days off technically. So I mean, I'll get back in the
gym probably. In a few weeks.
Crazy. Is that everybody?
OK? What's next, Albert?
(39:25):
What's? Next, I think I just.
Got that. I did it.
That's so crazy. But yeah, I just enjoy this a
little. Bit so yeah, I've been enjoying
it. I'm I'm happy, everyone's happy
and I put on for the city. So I'm overall happy and I know
I have a bigger purpose for thissport, especially in our home,
my hometown or our hometown, yeah.
So I think so too, dude. I think so.
How cool is Sacramento right now?
(39:45):
Dude? We are blowing up artists,
musicians, boxing. Yeah, there's a podcast.
It's pretty cool. It's definitely.
It was definitely. Growing.
Sacramento's growing. I mean, I know it's growing for
boxing. I know that.
So yeah. And I do my one of my goals is
to bring a a fight here to Sacramento, a big, big fight.
(40:05):
And I like that. Yeah.
And hopefully, dude, I golden one.
No, I definitely it will happen though.
Dude that's cool man. Goosebumps.
Thank you. Yeah, we're hoping next year or
end of the year, but we're hoping next year.
Cool man. Thank you dude.
I'm glad we got to connect. I know, I know.
It's been some time before all these things that started
(40:26):
happening. You've.
Been grinding man. Yeah, it's been crazy.
So yeah, a lot of strange, but good thing.
A good way? For sure man.
Started from the bottom, now I'mhere.
That's the best way to describe the journey of Sacramento boxer
Albert Ochoa. Nobody's done what I've done in
this amount. Little amount of time changed my
whole life for this sport. I I invested so much money into
this sport. What's that feel like when
you're first pro? The guy I was fighting had 25
professional fights. I'm at 1 and when people in
(00:22):
Vegas they see me like who is your manager?
Who is your promoter? I'm like I don't have any myself
and it's working. It's so good for all of us when
we see someone go for a drink. You weren't born into anything.
You have now. There's not Nothing was handed
to you. What impact do you hope to
leave? Like on youth or what?
What do you want to be known for?
What's your hardest inner battle?
I think now I just don't want tofail as a father.
(00:44):
What would that mean to you to fail?
Thank you, thank you. I'm, that's why I'm glad, you
know, my work shows, you know, Ipassed everyone up here in
boxing like no one can do what I'm doing.
Like they can't pull that even open workout with ABC.
That was a great segment. Yeah, dude, that was a big turn
out. Thank you people coming out.
(01:04):
Thank you. Thank you.
And yeah, been a lot of improvements and just
everything. I've grown so much as a person
and then as a fighter, then now father.
So it's like my life has changeda lot.
How has having the baby affectedlike change you as a man?
Perspectives. Goals.
Like what is it done? Well, having a baby, I mean, he
(01:24):
changed my life. I've always wanted a son.
So, you know, having him, he changed my life.
And I named him Ocean. Yeah, You know, he just changed
my life. He motivates me more.
It's like you're playing for keeps now.
Yeah, yeah. And you know, for me to go knock
out that guy, you know, I sacrificed so much time away
from him. You know, I'm not even with him
right now. It's been a week, but I see him
tomorrow, so I'm super happy to just be with him.
(01:46):
And they just changed my life. And I want to be better, you
know, I became better when I sawhim.
And then I've only improved not only as a fighter, but as a man
overall, and I'm a better person.
That's sick, man. Yeah.
You know, since we last talked what I've been thinking about,
like, so you got thrust overnight at 17 into the
limelight. All of a sudden you're just,
you're a celebrity, you know? But you seized it.
(02:08):
You used it. You're doing the right things
with it. You're Mr. Self Belief.
Always believe in yourself. You're trying to motivate youth.
Why do you think that happened to you?
I mean, it feels like there's a bigger.
Plan. Yeah, I think there's a bigger
plan. I know there's a bigger plan.
I, I am different. I mean, when I the one of one,
you know, I am one of one because nobody's done what I've
done in this amount. Little amount of time and yeah,
(02:31):
and three years and then now back-to-back knockouts and
they're on TV, you know, it's like.
So I'm. I'm very glad you.
Know. Well, yeah, I'm, you know, I'm
and I don't. I didn't come up in this sport.
I just started three years ago. I was fat.
No one paid attention to me. Everyone laughed at me.
And now look, I'm living my dream.
I'm really happy, very blessed. And, you know, I'm very just
(02:51):
humble with it. Everything.
What's that feel like when you're first when you're first
pro? It felt good.
Well, I knocked the guy out witha left hook.
My left hook guy is strong. I don't know.
People still say I'm weak and I'm not a real fighter.
I knocked out another fighter that had more fights than me
knocked him out with a left hookand he fell all right.
And then three months later I well, I, I get ready for another
(03:13):
big fight in LA, which was big. The arena was nice.
They're the longest boxing promotion in Cali, shout the OC
and I mean the fight didn't happen obviously.
So I was very sad and heartbroken and.
Can you say why? Well, yeah, so I'm walking out,
literally I'm, I'm ready to go. Everyone is there.
I had people fly in for me. I was like, I know I wasn't the
main event, but I was the special attraction for sure.
(03:34):
And even the promoter said that.And I'm I'm walk about to walk
out. They're like, hey, your your
fight's off. I was like, what are you talking
about? Like.
Everything went silent. I'm like, this can't be true
because we had ABC, we had the open workout, we sold tickets, I
mean, sponsors, everything was, I put so much into this camp,
you know, away from my son and Iwas just heartbroken.
(03:54):
I'm like, this can't be. So I talked to the doctors.
The doctors like, hey, your opponent got sick.
And in California, I mean, in general, he was really sick.
He lost weight overnight. He was throwing up in the back
and he looked sick when I saw him.
So the fight was off and I was just like, wow.
I felt so bad for the people that flew in, drove 8 hours to
see me. Even the fans that came to see
me. I was like, wow, it really hurt,
(04:16):
you know, just for the people, that's what I felt the worst,
you know, for the people that came to see me and spent their
hard earned money, that really broke my heart and I didn't know
what to do, you know, And then, you know, shout out to, you
know, Maricela, she made a few phone calls and I did made a few
phone calls too. And we're trying to figure out
what to where to fight it like right now.
(04:38):
And I was getting calls for saying, oh, in four weeks, 5
weeks next week or No, 5 weeks next month.
I'm like, I can't wait a whole month.
I'm going to Sacramento. I'm, I'm flying to New York to
I'm flying to Seattle the next week and stuff like that.
So I can't just do that, you know, And I just spent three
months, you know, at the gym allday and especially just had a
baby and the weight cut. And I, and I moved another
weight cut. Yeah.
(04:58):
I weighed in at 142, right. That's crazy.
Yeah, that is 142. Yeah.
And you know, so, and then she made a few phone calls and I was
just like, they're like, hey, wecan get you on a fight in Costa
Rica on TV on Saturday. And this is Thursday night.
I'm like, well, Costa Rica is not around the corner.
That's 1012 hours away plus the time change.
(05:20):
And then I had to think about it.
We went back to the hotel room and then but the guy was
fighting, had 25 fights, 25 professional fights.
I'm at 1. I don't care what nobody says.
No one gets in the ring with someone with 25 fights.
And doesn't feel fear. Fear, I was scared, but no.
But even then, when they build you up as a fighter, no one gets
in the ring with 20. A veteran like that, especially
(05:43):
me coming not coming from this sport.
People usually fight a guy like that like years into the game.
Yeah, it makes sense. And I did that after one fight.
So I got, I was scared. I told Mike I was like, I don't
know, like, I don't think this is a good chance.
The guy was bigger. I had to fly over there and then
I'm like, you know, I'm just going to trust God, trust
myself. I worked my butt off and I
(06:03):
needed a fight. So I was like, all right, let's
go. So I booked the flights and we
got to Costa Rica and I was so tired.
I got there in the morning, I fought at night.
I was so tired trained. I was tired.
I was cramping in that fight. Oh wow, I.
I mean, you can't land and then fight like it's physically
impossible. Plus the elevation.
I had everything against me and I was I walked out.
(06:25):
I was like, OK, this is my time.And I I took the fight because I
wanted to show I had balls. I wanted the respect from people
that be like, oh, he's not a real fighter.
Oh, he's a celebrity fighter. All this BS that you hear that
you see all the time. I'm like, you know what, I'm
going to go do this fight, take this fight and I'm going to beat
this guy. I wanted to show I want my
respect that people don't give me.
And a lot of people do, but a lot of people don't, you know,
and I'm like, dude, what is it going to take more?
What do you guys want? So I go in there and right away
(06:48):
that guy comes at me and he's bigger.
He's like 6/1. He had 20 lbs on me.
He was huge because I cut weight.
I couldn't gain the weight back up and he hit hard.
I was like, oh wow, you got me on that one.
And then the second round came, I'm like, dude, I hit his head.
That hurt me. That hurt my hand.
His head was so freaking hard, right?
And I was just like, wow. So I'm like, OK, Then my knuckle
(07:10):
was messed up. I don't know if you can still
see like, so my knuckle was still swollen.
I hit his head hard. And I'm like, damn, that hurt
me. Yeah.
And I'm like, OK. And then, you know, and my team,
they were like, hey, the body's open.
I'm like, OK, well, the body, I got to get close to you, you
know, and this guy's 61 big. I'm 5-10, you know, so I, I
mean, I see it and then I just bring it all that left to the
(07:32):
body. It was perfect.
Right in the liver and he buckled.
Buckled. Yeah, buckled.
It was just. Rocky Balboa stuff.
I was super happy and I knocked him out and you know, it was a
good night. I, you know, I gambled on myself
and I and I took the chance again.
Once again I did it again. Back-to-back knockouts, no
boxing experience and he had 25 professional fights.
(07:53):
There's that confidence too. I love that.
Yeah. I, dude, I've, you know, we've,
I've seen Conor McGregor's and people like that, that speak
their dreams so confidently. But to see it in person, like to
see you do it like on TV and just nobody's done what I've
done and everybody doubts me andthis and I'm just like, damn,
that's what this looks like. Like That's where does that come
from, the self belief. I think just, I mean, I was like
(08:15):
this when I was 17. When I was a kid.
I always felt different than allthese kids.
You know, even people might right now, they're going to the
club on the weekends, every weekend and you know, they're
going, they're working a job they don't like.
And it's cool. If that's how you want to live
your life, that's cool. I'm not that breaking that.
But for me, I want to live an extraordinary life.
I want to do these things that I'm going to do.
And the things I'm doing are very different.
It's very hard. And I'm gambling all on myself.
(08:37):
And you know, people don't see what I really go through like
this. You know, it's very hard
emotionally, mentally and peopletalking meds, you know, people
that are still doubting. I mean, it does hurt a little
bit. You know, I'll be honest, it
does hurt. But that motivates me.
Like keep talking about about me, keep talking about me in
general. I mean, I'm getting talked about
all the time. So like keep doubting me because
I'm going to keep proving them wrong.
(08:57):
And they're still watching. I mean, you saw the open
workout, so many people came. I was so blessed.
I was so blessed to have that. And I'm glad you came to see
and, and I know it's I'm going to change the game even more in
Sacramento. And, you know, and I want to
bring everyone together. I want to make it exciting.
Yeah. And I'm, we're in Sacramento
Jersey, you know, I'm from Sacramento, out of Las Vegas.
And. Yeah.
You know, it's cool as your lastepisode here.
(09:19):
Yeah. Not a single negative comment.
Yeah. Like, isn't that cool?
Like, yeah. No, it's cool, Yeah.
People want to hate what you accomplished and stuff but when
you came on and like showed yourself and show nobody, nobody
hated. Yeah, what did you do?
The small mentality, people. Yeah, the other, you know that
so. Yeah.
Dude, you mentioned it's hard. It can be tough on you
emotionally. Like what's your hardest inner
(09:40):
battle? I think now I just don't want to
fail as a father. I think that's my thing.
I don't want to fail. I don't want to fail for him
because I didn't have a dad growing up, you know, and.
I didn't know that. Yeah, I didn't have, I was
raised by a single mom work. Damn, I didn't know that.
And she worked her butt off. And you know, I fell in love
with basketball, with sports. Wow, You, you made really good
(10:01):
decisions growing up. Yeah, that's great.
Just. I I didn't party, I didn't
drink, I didn't smoke. And that's OK.
If people do that, that's OK. But I didn't want to do that
because I I knew I wanted something different and I knew
something was going to happen. And I didn't think the TV show
was Kylie Jenner was going to happen.
That happened. And and and then it segued now
to being a professional boxer. I wanted to be a professional
basketball player. Same thing, but different
(10:23):
sports. Obviously still got to work your
butt off. But I mean, I knew something was
going to be happening, like in my life.
That's extraordinary. Yeah, I felt it.
I knew it. Is that why you'd made good
decisions? I think.
I mean, I made good and bad decisions.
Obviously no one's perfect, but.The big ones you've hit, right?
Yeah, the big ones I've hit, right.
I would say that, you know, I'm not perfect.
I still have my flaws, but overall I feel like I am a good
(10:44):
person. I have a good heart and I don't
want to, you know, my intentionsto people aren't to mess like
take advantage of them. Some people want to take
advantage of me and just in general in life, you know, for
me, I don't want to take advantage of anyone.
I have a good heart. I'm always going to try to help
someone, even if they try to screw me over first.
And it's crazy, the train that people are on my train that
talked messed with at me in the beginning.
(11:05):
I literally had a text from someone that switched up on me
as I was driving here. I'm like, dude, I am not going
to respond. You literally talk so much
garbage. You blocked me and then you
texted my phone. Like Congrats, bro.
I'm like. And this guy is 45 years old.
Mind you, this isn't a kid. Like I'm like, dude, this is
crazy. You know, people, they're so
small minded. Yeah.
(11:25):
So everybody wants the extraordinary, but they're not
willing to pay the extraordinaryprice.
No. With it.
No. That's what they don't see
behind the scenes, the work you're putting in and the weight
cuts. Yeah.
Endless workouts. And every time we talk, I'm just
leaving the gym. I'm just getting to the gym.
I'm just leaving the gym. Like Dang, yeah, I'm really.
Dedicated I, I've changed my whole life for this sport.
I, I invested so much money intothis sport and you know
(11:46):
everything that's happened, I made it happen like and when
people in Vegas, they see me like who is your manager?
Who is your promoter? I'm like, I don't have any
myself. Taking it to the streets.
Yeah, and, and it's working, andI thank God every single day and
I thank myself. But overall it's like, I just
don't want to fail as a father. Like, minus all this other
stuff, you know, I just don't want to fail as a father.
Yeah, you said that. What is that?
What would that mean to you to fail?
(12:07):
I think just not be in his life,not be the best role model I
can, you know, I know a lot of people look up to me, but it's
different when I see that baby. And for sure, yeah, it really
hits me different. So for sure.
And then me winning that fight, I'm like, Dang, I wanted to win
because I can go back home now to you as a winner.
And I didn't want to fail. And I knew he had kids, but I'm
not trying to see my kid see me get beat up, you know, like it's
(12:28):
gonna be so. Yeah.
So. That's awesome.
Yeah. And even if it did, I have a
feeling you'd be as humble in defeat as you would in victory.
And your son would see that like, damn, you can take that
like a man, too. And then just keep going for the
next goal. And yeah, but.
Dude, you work hard man. Thank you.
Thank you. And to do that, you know, we
flew across the world for this fight and I did it again, and
(12:49):
I'm going to do it again one more time this year.
Are you? Yeah, we have one more fight
this year and I'm excited for it.
Probably going to be like September, October, OK, And
that'll come quick. Yeah, it's going to come quick.
So I'm just here enjoying my time, my family and going to
celebrate, you know, if you'd been eating a lot of food.
So yeah, I'm just happy, Yeah. I've been eating a lot of food,
yeah. Especially after the weight cut.
(13:09):
Yeah, burgers. Pizza.
Dude, I'm still blown away that you grew up without a dad.
Like what? Yeah.
What was the hardest part of that?
I think I was just confused. I mean, you know, I love my mom,
you know, but as a man, as a little boy, you know, you're
confused and it hurts. It feels like you did something
wrong. And for me now having my boy, I
don't want him to think something's wrong with him of
(13:31):
why I'm not in the picture. And yeah, I, I, I don't want him
confused. I don't want him even hurt.
But I know because this world's already evil already, you know,
so much negativity in this world.
And I know he's going to experience that as when he gets
older. But as a father, I want him to
say like, that's my dad. He's my role model and I'll
always be there for him. That's my rock.
Yeah. He'll be there no matter what I
do. Yeah, that's sick, man.
(13:52):
I like that. Thank you.
You're one thing you're big on too, is spiritual Wellness,
right? Like, I'm curious because you're
also a man of faith. Yeah.
So like, how do you how do you balance like God's plan versus
universe or faith versus? Spirituality, I think overall it
it's God, you know, I wouldn't have made it this far without
God, you know and I feel like the people that are very lost in
(14:13):
this world they don't have God. God is bringing brought me peace
even when people switched up on me when I was never in the
wrong. You know, people hurt me and and
and switched up on me that I trusted and and it sucks but I
know God has a bigger purpose. You've moved a lot of people out
of my life, this fight and it hurt.
But I'm look now, I mean, I'm, I'm happy.
(14:33):
I'm living my dream. I have a beautiful son.
I I, I'm a better man. And yeah.
Awesome wife. Yeah.
Beautiful. Solid.
Exactly. Yeah.
I'm. I'm really power couple.
Thank you. Thank you.
And I'm really happy overall. I'm just really happy and I'm at
peace and no one could take thataway from me, even if they don't
like me or not. OK.
Thank you for your comment. But I'm living in my dream.
(14:55):
You're still watching me, you know?
Yeah, Yeah, I still watch. Thank you for your comment and
thank you for the attention. As well so it's and then seeing
like everything that I had overcome this, this fight with
the open workout and doing it all on my own.
I I did that all on my own and. And that blows my mind.
I thought, like, I think people think you've got a promoter and
a publicist and all, you have a whole team around.
(15:15):
They, they think that they a lotof people was like who sets this
up for you? Who sets up these meetings?
Who sets up these workouts? And for the media days, me.
So how did that cause dude, that's one thing you mentioned.
Like there's so many people, especially like 18 to 22 that
are looking down the barrel of ajob I hate or chasing my dreams
and they see you doing it. You've got the huge platform and
(15:36):
stuff. What like how do you, how do you
start building that? I think, I mean, every situation
is different. So I mean, if you have kids
early on and you have to work toprovide and then stick with
that. But when you're off of work,
plan what you want to do. Push, push your push your heart
and just put together a plan. For me, I wrote down a plan of
(15:57):
what I wanted to do when I joined boxing.
You know, I was fat, but I saw aglimpse of what I could do.
I saw myself on the TVI saw myself talking to these
champions and these guys believing in me and I saw that.
I saw me winning. I saw me just getting better and
having that star power. And no one saw that when I
walked into the gym. I remember when I walked in, no
one cared to see say hi to me. And but I I knew what I can do.
(16:20):
It's just going to take time. And I knew, OK, if I take this
step, it's going to lead me to another step.
You take another step, it's going to lead you to another.
And just little by little, it all adds up.
And yeah, I mean, now looking atit three years later, I mean, I,
I've jumped a lot of, you know, a lot of bridges and I jumped a
lot of slots. Yeah, so make a plan.
How did you know it was boxing? Like was that just like shown to
(16:42):
you or did you pick boxing? Have you always thought about?
It no, never, never. I just was a basketball player
all my life. But obviously I'm not your
height, so but I, I mean, I don't know, I just walked into
the gym and I wanted to try it out.
And then I fell in love with thesport.
And then as I kept getting better, more people started to
come me train randomly, you know, even from, like, San
Francisco. They would come see me.
(17:03):
I'm like, Dang, you saw me. Yeah.
He's like, yeah, I have you on Facebook, and I just wanted to
see what you got. Oh, wow.
Thank you. You know, even though I'm not
good, you know, even right now, I don't think I'm the best
writer in the world. But I'm going to keep going, you
know? I don't, you know, so yeah.
And I just saw, I just kept picking up.
And then the news came. I'm like, dude, I can't even
move my head and you know, or, or fight right now, you know,
And then more fans started, you know, and then people started
(17:25):
hating on me right away. And then I'm like, what is going
on? But there was something here.
I felt this wouldn't just be happening if if God didn't want
me to, you know, I wouldn't havewon my last fight or the other
one or I wouldn't even knock them out.
You know, this has to be God in my, in my, it has to be where
I'm going. I think so.
If you look at the impact it's having on people, 'cause you are
(17:45):
inspiring people to be better. Yeah.
You know, like your, your motto is literally believe in
yourself. Yeah, always believe in.
Yourself. Always believe in yourself and
that's. What you're doing with the
platform, of course God's gonna amplify that.
Yeah, and the and the youth is looking up to me.
More and more kids are seeing and looking up to me.
And even, you know, people that are way older than me, you know,
like there was a lot of older people at my open workout. 56
years. Yeah.
(18:06):
You're still. Yeah.
Yeah, Yeah. That's yeah.
But you know, I'm like, damn, like that means so much to me,
you know, because no one believed in me me when I first
walked into this gym. And even now people don't even
believe me. But I still have that fan base
and I still have a lot of peoplethat still support me and love
me. But I just want to keep
inspiring. I think that that drives me.
And you know, I want to keep being better for the youth and
for just anyone, because there'salways a way out.
(18:28):
A way out of a life you don't like.
Or yeah, a life that you don't like.
I mean, if you always want to bebetter, there's always a way to
get better. Or to get.
If you're right here, there's always a way to get here and
then here and then here and justkeep going.
And right now, I mean, I'm building, you know, I feel good
and but I'm not like satisfied with why I'm.
I'm happy, but I'm not satisfiedbecause I know I got to take it
another notch. And this next fight I have to,
(18:49):
it's going to even be up here now.
You know, the last one was righthere and the other one was right
here. Now I'm going to go up here.
So yeah. Yeah, are you still looking to
do 10 fights and and call it or you're not sure now?
I mean, I still say 10 fights, still say 10, and then yeah,
we're just taking one step at a time, but this next one's going
to be 3, so I'm happy. How's your wife doing dude?
(19:09):
New baby and success and she's doing her thing.
Like how's she doing? She's doing really well.
She's actually having a comebackfight next month, so I'm really
happy for her. She missed it and you know,
she's ranked #2 still in the world.
And you know, she pushed me so much this fight, you know, cuz I
was asked was like, hey, do you think I could do it?
Do you think I could be this guyeven flying to Costa Rica?
(19:30):
I'm like, hey, I know we're here, but do you think I could
be like, you're going to be OK If you know what you're like,
how you trained, you can do it. She always believes on me.
And now it's her turn, you know,to have her come back fighting
out with the baby. So yeah, that's where I'm going.
I'm going to Seattle tomorrow. She's going to have her training
camp where she's from in Washington, and she's going to
be there for the month, and so will I.
(19:51):
And yeah, just push her as much as I can and be there for her
and the baby. That's awesome man.
Have you guys thought out goals as a couple?
Like where you wanna be and whatyou wanna do?
I mean, she wants to do one morefight and then retire.
She's been in the game quite some time for me.
She knows my goal. She knows that I wanna be in and
out and yeah, then after, you know, we just want to be at
(20:14):
peace and just live our life happy and just keep, you know,
just accomplishing stuff together, even in business,
outside of business, but just grow as a family and then just
be a better person for our baby now.
You want more kids? I mean, I, I wouldn't mind it,
but I mean, I'm honestly really happy with one.
(20:36):
I'm really happy I got my boy. I, I, he's one of one, you know,
so I would always be there for him.
And I know with another kids, yeah, you can have a big time
and that's great. But I would tell him, hey, you
should have more kids and I'll be there for you to help you
with your two, three kids that you're going to have.
And I will do that. You know, maybe not have a kid
at 18, but I will be there. But if you have three, I will be
(20:57):
there. And for sure I would.
But I really just, I'm OK with one because I want to be able to
be there for them all the time. You know, if I have 3-4 kids, I
mean, realistically you can't give.
I mean, you can't be there all the time with four kids and give
them 100%, a hundred percent, 100%.
Realistically, you could be there but then someone.
Yeah. And I and but with one, I know I
(21:19):
could be there 100% and be therefor them and guide them and, and
I mean, I could do it with more kids, yes.
But you know, kids are so pure and I.
And if I can't give them 100% right now, why bring them into
this world? Because that's selfish to me.
You know, I don't want to be selfish.
I don't want them confused. I don't want them hurt and
that's why I don't want it. Not because of money or the
time, but it's just I don't wantto hurt them and I want to be
(21:41):
there 100% and I know with him Ican be there 100%.
For sure dude, if and when that time comes.
Like it's hard to describe but your heart grows.
Like your ability to give and receive love.
Like you'll be able to give as much to the next one as you are
to this one. Three.
That's where. You start getting weird.
(22:03):
That's where I don't know how people do it.
I know, I know. And honestly, I'm really happy
with one. I know she wants more, too, but
we're both happy with one, too. Even though she comes from a
family of what, 10? There's nine sisters, six
sisters, one brother. Yeah, she has a big family.
Wow. And for me, it was just me and
my sister. But I mean, I still come from a
big family, the extended family.But yeah.
(22:25):
But right now, just one. Right now, once again, fair
enough. Yeah.
Do you have a support system around you to like help bounce
decisions off of and life paths and stuff?
I mean, she does. She supports me a lot.
I mean, my mom, my family, yeah.I mean, I would say I have a
few, you know, my God mom as well.
My God mom raised me, my God momand my mom.
(22:47):
And she was hard on me. Yeah, I remember like.
Like hard as in strict where it was like, hey, there's a
fingerprint on the microwave so you're not going to go to the
family party. That's strict.
I'm like, Anna, are you serious?Like 1 fingerprint.
And then she's like, just for that, I'm not taking you to the
gym either. I'm like, and I love the gym.
Going from a kid when you're 14,you want to go to the gym.
She didn't take me. She's like, you should have made
sure everything was clean in this kitchen and your chores
(23:09):
were done. And she was hard, but she made
me the man I am today. And I think her lying a lot of
my success is because of her andmy mom.
Those two women, like they, theypushed me so hard where it did
hurt like, and she's told me, you know, she was maybe a little
too hard, but she didn't know either.
She was learning to, you know, having me.
And you know, we had dinner yesterday and I would do
(23:30):
anything for both of them. But Anna really pushed me so
hard where it was like, like, I was four years old shaking
people's hands. Kids don't do that now.
You know, I was scared. I think, yeah, I was four years
old. She's like, if you don't shake
everyone's hand in this house, you're not going to go to the
next family party. And then she's like, did you
shake my grandpa's hand? I mean, I'm four years old.
And then, you know, seeing that is very scary.
(23:50):
And I remember I didn't shake her uncle's hand.
And I'm like, how did you find that out?
She's like, I asked him, hey, did he shake your hand?
He said, no, I didn't. And I'm, and yeah, it was very
hard. But now that that helps me with
meetings, I'm, I'm, I'm OK to walk into a room, feel happy.
I can shake everyone's hand, talk to them.
And now kids don't do that anymore.
Young men don't do that anymore.The communication sucks,
obviously. And she made sure I was
(24:12):
communicating at 4:00 with thesegrown people.
Yeah. So it's important, dude.
It is important. It is very important.
And now having a boy, you know, I want him to be the same way.
Hey, you need to shake everyone's hand.
I don't care if you see it or not.
Like go do it and that's gonna help you when you're older cuz
it helped me yeah so. Yeah, that fear, that piece of
fear that makes that hard shows up in so many other areas of
(24:33):
life. And if you, when you learn, oh,
you just push through it, it doesn't mean the fear is gonna
go away. You just keep pushing through
it. Yeah, that's a big lesson.
Yeah. That comes from have a little
kids answer. Yeah, it did.
A lot of that is improved in meetings, school.
I mean, everything women. When I walked up to my body, I
mean, I shook her hand, you know, and I told that.
(24:54):
And my mom was like, yeah, like I, I learned that at 4:00.
So when I walked up to her, she was like, Dang, like, no guys
really walk up to me. And she doesn't give anyone the
time of day. But for me to walk up to her,
she was like, wow, like, who areyou?
You know, So yeah. And then now she's been attached
since. So.
Yeah. You you still big on like the
positive thinking law of attraction stuff.
No, I I definitely believe in law of attraction and, and, and
(25:16):
manifestation. I definitely believe in all
that. You know, your tongue is so
powerful, you know, and I speak so much to existence and it
happens like even this fight, I wanted to fight and I wanted to
knock this guy out and it happened again.
You know, I wanted to look good doing it.
I did it again on a highlight reel that some of these pros
that been doing it since they were can't even stop someone
with a liver shot. And I did that.
(25:38):
So yeah, I mean, I everything I've gone, I've spoke to
existence, you know, even with aboy, with having my boy, I
wanted a boy. And how Maddie had six sisters
and one brother. My odds weren't looking.
Really. Yeah, but I knew I was going to
have a boy. I'm like, I'm going to have a
boy. I'm going to have a boy.
I told her. I told her.
Mom, they're like, you're crazy.And look, I have a boy.
That's sick. Yeah.
(25:59):
So yeah, it is kind of the hardest part, dude.
Speaking your dream, speaking itpublicly, speaking it to people
close to you. If you can do that like that,
you're you're 80% of the way there.
Yeah, exactly, Exactly. People starting.
Yeah, people are speaking negative, like, oh, I have
nothing going for me, I'm fat. I'm this well, Dang, you keep
saying that. Say something good for once.
(26:19):
I promise he's going to. That will change.
I promise you, your life will change once you start speaking
better about yourself. So you pray too.
Yeah, I pray a lot, you know, I pray for my food.
I pray for, you know, just to bea better person.
I pray to God today, you know, just about like, please just
protect me and protect the baby and and my family and just to
guide me to be a better person because I know I'm not perfect
(26:40):
but and no one is. But still I, I have a lot of
flaws and inner things, emotion that hurt me still and that's
OK. You know, more men should speak
about it and. Like about like stuff from
childhood or? I mean, maybe that.
I mean, maybe just the way of life, the pressure of life, you
know, the pressure of being a man, you know, now a father and
now professional fighter. Yeah, I got pressure all the
(27:02):
time. But but what's crazy is I do
better under pressure, like whenmy back is against the wall, I
always shine like that. Even though open workout there
was pressure there because I hadto look great for sure.
I looked really great. For you, yeah.
You did. And then the fight, I had my
back against the wall. I had to fly across the world
and fight the same day. And somehow I did it.
And I I always perform better under pressure, and pressure
(27:24):
makes diamonds. So yeah.
That's sick dude. It's different for everyone, but
like you said, you pray for guidance.
Where do you get the guidance? Like how do you hear back from
God or how do you know like, oh,that's I prayed about that.
This looks to be the answer to that.
Or I mean, does that happen for you?
I mean, I think just with the situations he puts you in and
(27:45):
then just day by day, I mean, I keep praying for guidance and I
feel like I'm leading. I'm following his lead and and
trusting him and that goes through that, how that fight
opened up hours after my fight got cancelled.
I mean, that was God. I mean, even if I didn't fight,
I mean, it was, it's still God. I wouldn't be here without God.
I wouldn't be like where I'm at without God.
(28:06):
So I mean, everyone's different.I mean, God has a relationship
with everyone, but I just know that I got to just keep going
and trusting him. The moment you don't trust him
is when you are lost. Dude, it's scary too.
Like wait, this whole thing is just on me.
Like this whole life and earthlyexistence and these decisions
I'm making for other people thatare relying on me, just me,
(28:29):
there's nothing like, wow, no thanks.
Yeah, I know it's very hard. And you know, now I have being a
father's like I, I have to keep going and I want to keep going.
That's the thing. I want to keep going.
Like I I took him to get his haircut for the first time and I
was so happy doing it. You know, I didn't care about
the price. I didn't care about anything,
but I was so happy doing that and that made my day and I
(28:49):
wanted to do that. You know, I could I have to, but
I wanted to be that do the taking first.
First, I want to do those thingsfrom because I didn't really
have that. I didn't have that at all as a
kid. And that brought me so much joy
than me winning the fight, Yeah.That's so cool.
You get to do what you didn't have.
Yeah, that's that's got to be just that gives me goosebumps,
(29:09):
man. That's got to feel really good.
Yeah, because, you know, I didn't have a dad and now with
him I can, you know, he makes mehappy and I just want to be
there from every single day. Do you think that still effects
you like today not having a dad?Do you think it affects
relationships or decisions? I think it did growing up with
relationships and and partners and stuff like that.
But I think now my age, I mean, I'm still young, you know, but I
(29:33):
think now is. You're a wise young.
Yeah, I'm a. Wise young.
Yeah, I feel like I'm very smart.
I'm ahead of my time, but I don't think it affects me
anymore. It's just more like, OK, that's
just life. That's what my life.
That's my story, you know? Now I have my own son, so it
doesn't matter what I go throughbecause I want to be there for
him like I want. I'm going to like lead him as
(29:54):
best as I can and damn, that's. So sick dude.
Can I ask where? How come you didn't have a dad?
Well, just my family, they got adivorce, my parents got a
divorce at a young age. And I mean my mom took care of
me all my life from what I remember.
So and what I know and and my and my God mom is my mom and God
mom my whole life. And you know, just shout out to
(30:14):
them. You know women can raise a man.
Damn, I mean women, man. Yeah, they're they're bad.
Yeah, they really are. Yeah.
And I owe them a lot. All everything that's happening
to me is because of those two women.
Good and yeah, good and bad. Yeah.
Yeah. All my successes for them and
because of them. That's awesome.
Do you have a relationship with them now?
(30:36):
My parent, yeah, yeah, I we, I mean, it's as much as it can,
you know, you can't force someone to be a parent.
You can't force anyone to be in your life, you know.
So it's a two way St. And I mean, at the end of the
day, I know me becoming a father, I have to be there now,
you know, for my son. If I can't force someone that
doesn't want to be there for me,whether it's a father, a friend
(30:59):
or anyone. So that's all that matters at
this point is me being there formy son.
That's very true. That's awesome.
So you don't have to let that weigh on you.
You're like, I'm breaking that. Yeah, yeah.
And I feel like I broke a lot ofcycles.
And you know me, I feel like I'malready a better dad than my own
dad. 100%, yeah, 100% you're here.
(31:19):
You're leading them to faith. You're chasing your dreams,
which is good for not just your kid, but humanity.
Yeah. It's so good for all of us when
we see someone go for a dream because especially when people
get to watch the whole thing like you.
You weren't born into anything. You have now.
There's nothing was handed to you so people can see, oh, this
came one step at a time. Like maybe I can do that too.
(31:43):
Yeah. So what impact do you hope to
leave, like on youth or what? What do you want to be known
for? I mean, I want to be known for
someone that just always chase their dreams and always that
never gave up on when people didn't believe in me.
Like, I want like, some I want them like a kid or anyone to be
like, Albert can do it. Why can't I?
(32:03):
Yeah. And I think that's what
motivates me a lot. And then especially going back
to having a son, you know? But I just want to show people
that you could do anything you want in this world.
Me doing this sport, boxing is technically the number one, the
most hardest sport. And for me it's working.
And I didn't grow up in a sport.So like, that already is a win
for me and and I'm showing people you can do anything you
want in this world. And dude, I think people you
(32:25):
understand, like the boxing thing, you literally just walked
into a gym and thought, let me try it and then moved to Las
Vegas and said I'm just going todo it right.
I mean, it was that that. Simple, and I made it a career
and a job I really have. And you find your own sponsors
and stuff like that and. Yeah, the, the endorsement
sponsors, the trainers, you know, have really high level
(32:46):
people around me and they know Iwork hard and I and I work hard
and I really do. And people still think I'm not a
real fighter and that's OK because I mean, they're focusing
on me and I'm focusing on myself, so.
I mean, a win's a win, dude. Like of course, put someone
against a quote, real fighter and that person wins.
I mean, he's a real fighter. I.
Mean, yeah, you can Google it. I mean, I'm on Boxrec where all
(33:08):
the other professional fighters are in, and I don't know how
that doesn't mean you're not a pro.
I don't know. I don't get it, you know, so,
but I think those people don't matter, you know, none of the
negative. It doesn't matter.
This sport doesn't even matter. It's just about how you are as a
person, and I want to be a good person.
What does that mean to you? Just someone that, you know, has
a good heart that doesn't want to take advantage of people
(33:30):
because yeah, good intentions. So many people take advantage of
people and people have negative when they see some, they're
going to take advantage. I've been taking advantage of so
many by this sport of boxing, bytrainers, by managers, by by a
lot of people, friends. And I'm like, Dang, that was
your intentions being in my life, taking advantage of
someone. My intentions with you was to
(33:51):
help you to be there for you. You know, I gave clothes to
people that didn't even have clothes, but their intentions
was still to try to screw me. And that's what's crazy do.
You think it was the whole time?Or do you think some people get
caught up and watching your success in there and it they
lose control of their own moralsand stuff?
I think both, but overall though, if you switch up
randomly you've never had good intentions coming into it.
That's a good point. So I've always had good
(34:13):
intentions with anybody. Like I've never screwed anybody.
And, and, and I and I 100% believe that I never have.
Yeah, so. You can feel it too, like once
you once someone did flip on you, did you realize that whole
time? Like, I kind of felt that.
Like, I was seeing it. Yeah, there's signs early, but
you don't want to think of that.And then when it happens, it
happens. But, you know, at the end of the
(34:35):
day, those people that switched up on me, they've never got,
they've always needed me more than I needed them.
They've never done better than me either.
So all those people that switched up and and, you know,
try to screw me, they've never done better than me since they
left my life. So, yeah.
And I think that's why I'm at peace.
God removed a lot of people. He removed my last best friend
in my corner. Damn.
(34:55):
My last brother that I considered, we did business
together and you removed him. Out if I removed you mean like?
Like he's not in my life anymoreat all.
And. Because behavior was revealed.
And yeah, behavior. And then me and being in this
sport and I'm like, dude, we've been brothers, we've done
business, we've had each other'sbacks, and you're just switching
over me. So random.
Dang, They heard me ask him to be the godfather to my kid and
(35:15):
he didn't care. I'm like wow.
What happened? I have no idea to this day.
Like no idea. And by switch you mean he
started just hating? Or just, I mean hating, not
believing in me anymore and justsays there's a weird energy
about you now. I'm like, well, how?
Like please help me. And then I have all the texts,
phone calls and I really don't know.
I really don't. But I wish him the best.
(35:36):
And I know he's a little lost, but you know, I wish him the
best. But when people leave my life,
just like the guy that texted me, oh, congrat.
Like, dude, you left my life three years ago.
Now you're texting me a good job.
I'm like, thank you, but I don'tneed you in my life anymore.
That's so crazy dude. You won't talk shit about him.
I really respect that. You just that's that says a lot
(35:56):
right there man Thank. You thank you.
You know what it means a lot. And you know, again, I just want
to be a better person overall. That's really, really cool,
dude. Thank you.
Thank you. Anything you want to talk about?
I mean any story you want to tell the.
Story. Advice.
Advice, I mean advice just, you know, believe in yourself no
matter what you know, people aregoing to hate you, people are
(36:16):
going to talk about, about you, but that don't matter.
If you believe yourself 100% youwill succeed.
I believe that if you, if you have $0.00 in your bank account,
if you don't have a car, you will succeed if you believe in
yourself 107% because I've dealtwith that too.
I, I didn't have a lot of thingsas growing up or just in
general, I didn't have a lot as a grown man.
(36:37):
And now I, I have some things which are cool, but even
materialistic things don't even matter.
You know, it's, it's overall howyou are as a person and how you
are with God. That's all that matters.
But if you want like the nice cars and nice things, I mean,
you still can, it's not a bad thing, you know, but you can go
get that. If you want to live a happy
life, you still can. Like there's a way out.
You just have to believe in yourself first.
(36:58):
You think if you chase God before anything else, all the
other stuff will fall into line?Yeah, I think so.
I believe so. You know cuz when I didn't I
have God in my life, I was very confused and lost.
Then I started believing in God.Well not started but just
getting my relationship back with God.
And now look I I've climbed the ladder so much.
And you're at peace. And I'm at peace.
(37:19):
Peace. I'm, I'm really at peace.
I really am. I'm living the, my life that I
wanted even as a kid, you know, and I'm, you know, I'm a
professional athlete and I'm very happy.
Even if I wasn't a professional athlete, I would still be happy.
I believe it. I really do, man.
Thank you. That's sick.
Yeah, there's a peace chasing God.
I, I kind of share with you. I'm pretty new, like just
(37:40):
surrendered to Jesus and the, the whole concept of, you know,
the, the whole thing. And yeah, dude, there's, there's
there's a piece that's undeniable.
I've never felt anything like it.
I've chased every drug, every spiritual path, a financial
success, Just there's nothing like that feeling of just, I
don't even know how to describe it, dude.
(38:01):
It's like stepping out of a darkcave into the sunlight.
You just know. Yeah, you just know everything's
going to be OK Like whatever this is, I'm just going to go
that way. Yeah, yeah.
And I knew me fighting Costa Rica.
Oh, my God, You brought this opportunity.
I think this is what it what you're telling me to go do.
And I'm glad I trusted him and trusted myself.
And look, I got a great knockouthighlight reel that's going to
(38:24):
be forever there. For sure, For sure.
Yeah. So you like eating out and stuff
too? Yeah.
I mean, I'm celebrating taking alittle time off.
Yeah, I've been eating a lot. Way too much actually.
I've been eating pizza. I had pizza like 3 times this
week and then burgers. And I had French toast today,
but there was like, like chocolate all over good.
I was in Folsom eating chocolate, like chocolate,
French toast. I'm like, Oh my goodness.
(38:44):
Where at? It was some breakfast place
right on Folsom and a corner. It's OK pretty popular.
I forgot the. Name Mario's No.
No, it was a diner. Very popular.
Right there by the water. Folsom like right there.
Yeah, yeah. Oh, Susie's.
Yeah, I mean, maybe. Maybe.
That's what I don't know. Yeah, But either way, about
Susie's. Yeah, I've been eating pretty
(39:05):
good and I need to calm it down a little bit, but I've been
enjoying myself. When when do you start?
Like OK, start training again. Like, I mean, my fight was only
what, Saturday? I mean, today's only Saturday,
yeah. So I mean it's only been like 6
days off technically. So I mean, I'll get back in the
gym probably. In a few weeks.
Crazy. Is that everybody?
OK? What's next, Albert?
(39:25):
What's? Next, I think I just.
Got that. I did it.
That's so crazy. But yeah, I just enjoy this a
little. Bit so yeah, I've been enjoying
it. I'm I'm happy, everyone's happy
and I put on for the city. So I'm overall happy and I know
I have a bigger purpose for thissport, especially in our home,
my hometown or our hometown, yeah.
So I think so too, dude. I think so.
How cool is Sacramento right now?
(39:45):
Dude? We are blowing up artists,
musicians, boxing. Yeah, there's a podcast.
It's pretty cool. It's definitely.
It was definitely. Growing.
Sacramento's growing. I mean, I know it's growing for
boxing. I know that.
So yeah. And I do my one of my goals is
to bring a a fight here to Sacramento, a big, big fight.
(40:05):
And I like that. Yeah.
And hopefully, dude, I golden one.
No, I definitely it will happen though.
Dude that's cool man. Goosebumps.
Thank you. Yeah, we're hoping next year or
end of the year, but we're hoping next year.
Cool man. Thank you dude.
I'm glad we got to connect. I know, I know.
It's been some time before all these things that started
(40:26):
happening. You've.
Been grinding man. Yeah, it's been crazy.
So yeah, a lot of strange, but good thing.
A good way? For sure man.
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