Our Coaches
Julian Vigil
A Legacy of Coaching Excellence
With over 26 years of coaching experience across multiple sports, Julian Vigil is a distinguished figure in the world of athletics. His unwavering dedication to excellence and his multifaceted expertise have left an indelible mark on countless athletes and teams under his guidance.
Coaching Journey:
Julian’s coaching journey began over two decades ago, driven by a passion for sports and a desire to make a positive impact on young athletes’ lives. Throughout his career, he has coached a diverse range of sports, including boxing, basketball, and football, among others. His versatility as a coach has allowed him to adapt to different coaching styles and strategies, ensuring that each athlete receives the personalized attention they need to succeed.
Specialties:
As a coach, Julian is renowned for his expertise in strength and conditioning, nutrition, and footwork drills. His holistic approach to athlete development focuses not only on physical prowess but also on mental toughness and emotional resilience. Whether it’s designing tailored strength training programs, crafting personalized nutrition plans, or refining footwork techniques, Julian’s commitment to excellence shines through in every aspect of his coaching.
Management and Promotion:
In addition to coaching, Julian has also made significant contributions to athlete management and promotion. With a keen eye for talent and a knack for strategic planning, he has played a pivotal role in the careers of numerous fighters, guiding them to success both inside and outside the ring. His managerial prowess and promotional acumen have helped elevate aspiring athletes to the highest levels of competition, earning him a reputation as a trusted mentor and advisor in the sports industry.
Family and Legacy:
Beyond his professional achievements, Julian takes great pride in his role as a father of five. His commitment to family values and his dedication to instilling principles of hard work, integrity, and perseverance in his children serve as a testament to his character both on and off the field. As Julian continues to inspire the next generation of athletes through his coaching and mentorship, his legacy of excellence will undoubtedly endure for years to come.
Robert Baca
Biography 2024
Born and raised in east Denver and attended Annunciation Grade School up to the six grade. Lived one year in the mountains southwest of town and attended West Jefferson Middle school. At age 13 moved to the north side and attended Mt Carmel Jr High School and then Regis High School for 3 years, and graduated from Central Catholic High School. Went on to obtain an Associate’s Degree in Electronics and retired as an Electronic Engineer from Eastman Kodak Company after 20 years. Then spent 3 years as the District Manager for MCI in their Information Technology Department. I operated my own construction company for 4 years. I Retired from Frontier Airlines in 2014 after 9 years and retired from United Airlines in 2022 after 6 years. I was married and raised 3 children and currently have 5 grandchildren.
I started boxing at age 14 for St Dominic’s Boxing Team in Denver CO, coached by Lou Garcia and my father Armando. At age 16 and 17 I trained at the Elks Lodge #17 Gym on 14 & California, and was coached by Red Martinez and Rusty Martinez. My first year with them in 1973 I was runner up in the Novice Division at the Colorado Golden Gloves Tournament. My Second year with Red and Rusty in 1974 I won the B Class Division and was selected “The B Class Best Prospect” at the Colorado Golden Gloves Tournament. In 1975 at age 18 I Boxed for Joe Garcia and The Colorado Golden Gloves Charities and won the Welterweight Class A Championship at the Colorado Golden Gloves Tournament. I went on to win the Rocky Mountain 5 State Regional Golden Gloves which advanced me to the National Tournament in Knoxville Tennessee. Later that year I won the 1976 Regional Olympic Trials in Colorado Springs and was selected the “Outstanding Boxer” of the Tournament. Unfortunately, because of a head butt in that tournament I suffered a concussion and had to skip the 1976 National Olympic Trials.
After a 4year break I came back and won the 1979 Light Middle Weight Class A Colorado Golden Gloves. In 2005 at age 48 I won the Masters Light Heavy Weight Ringside World Championship and in 2011 at age 54 I won the Masters Heavyweight Ringside World Championship.
My first registration as a coach with USA Boxing was in 1992. For a nine-year period, I taught boxing informally to family members, children of friends, youth that were referred to me, and helped at the Golden Gloves Gym with Joe Garcia. In 2001 I formally started a team out of the Elks Lodge #17 here in Denver. In 2004 I was hired to take over the 20th Street Boxing Club coaching position where I coached for 20 years. I currently am “AIBA 1 Star Certified” Which means I am eligible to Coach the USA Boxing Team at International Events including the Olympic Games. I Served 20 years on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Golden Gloves. I served 4 years on the Colorado USA Boxing Local Boxing Counsel as the Coach’s Representative and served a 3 year term as a Member at Large.
In the 23 years that I have coached competitive boxing I have had 32 different boxers accumulate a total of 26 National Titles, 15 Regional Titles, and 104 State Titles. These include Junior, Senior, and Maters Champions. I have hosted 39 USA Boxing Local shows, and 2 USA Boxing Colorado State Senior Tournaments.
I am very proud of these 145 Championships and the rest of the competitive students that have achieved 338 victories against 179 losses for the team. I give them all the credit for the hard work they put in to make it happen. I am equally proud of the literally hundreds of students who have come through the gym who have not competed but just wanted to learn some self-defense skills because they were being bullied at school or for whatever reason. The obvious transformation in a person’s self-esteem and confidence is just as valuable to me as those who win Championships.
I am currently very excited to be moving to a new chapter in my boxing career by teaming up with Pound 4 Pound Promotions and Julian Vigil at our new gym at 3108 W. Hampden Unit C Englewood CO. 80110 In closing I thank all the fine coaches and officials who were there for me when I competed as a youth and declare that my passion for coaching is a way for me to pay it back.
It is my ministry and I thank God for the Calling.
Anthony Barela
Biography 2024
Was born in Raton, New Mexico in 1965 and was raised in North Denver shortly thereafter. This young Northsider began boxing at the youthful age of 6yrs. which eventually led to a amateur career of over 200 amateur boxing matches. During this period of time Anthony attended Denver North High School where he developed an even stronger passion for boxing and gymnastics!
In 1984, a year after Anthony and his beautiful bride Monica, welcomed their second child, he decided to transition from the amateur realm to the professional ring. One can say that in the early 1980’s, Anthony met one of the most influential players in his career, Joe Garcia! Anthony trained under Joe’s supportive guidance for over 6 years and the duo acquired multiple titles over this span of time.
Some of these accomplishments include the Colorado Golden Gloves state and regional championships, PAL National Championships, ABF state and regional championship and qualified for multiple national titles.
After retiring from professional boxing, Anthony decided to focus on his growing family and supporting them outside of the boxing ring. A few years later, the itch came back and Anthony’s passion for boxing led him to his next venture COACHING!
In 1994 Anthony began assisting well respected coaches from numerous Boxing clubs in the Denver area, which include Sloan’s Lake boxing, St. Joes, 20th Street,Baca Boxing etc.
Finally in 2003 Anthony introduced his own boxing club, D-Town. Through the years Anthony has taken his teams to the Colorado Golden Gloves State tournament and has progressed 26 amateur boxers to the championships, leading to some very important wins, in addition to winning the state team trophy 6 of those years!
Anthony’s association to the Colorado Golden Gloves goes back to 1976 when he was just 1yrs, old selling Pepsi and programs in the Golden Gloves stands and has continued to this day.
Without question, the Colorado Golden Gloves has helped shape and mold Anthony’s boxing career nd he has created life long relationships within the organization. Many people within the Colorado olden Gloves organization remember a young determined boxer growing up and has now become well respected figure within the association and the boxing community!