Inspired, determined and dedicated to becoming a champion in life and the ring

The movie 'Rocky' was a rags to riches type of story of what can happen when someone is given a chance. A film that shows what an individual is capable of when they are inspired and determined to dedicate themselves to be better. However, that was a Hollywood script centered around an adult. This is an all too real life story centered around a 19 year old kid who's had to endure so much more.

Jonathan Torres may be a college student who is about to embark on a professional boxing career, but his path to this point should have led him into a darker reality. It was solely his will and the intervention of a father figure he never had, which has him on the verge of fulfilling dreams he never imagined were attainable.

Born in Rio Piedras, PR to a family including a loving, but single mother, grandmother and three brothers, Jonathan may have been the youngest, but he was far from the weakest. Instability at home had him hanging out in the streets at eight years old, not going to school and getting into constant trouble and fights. With nowhere to turn and an attempt to try and save her son's life, his mom moved along with him and his brother Giovanni, who was two years older and from the same biological father, to New York City.

Over the course of nearly two years Jonathan and his family found themselves going from staying in the living room of a friend's apartment, to a homeless shelter and eventually to the streets. At that point his mother did what she thought would be best, which was to send her two sons to live with their biological father in Bethlehem, PA; though to that point in their lives they never had any contact with him.

According to Jonathan, his father was cool with him and his brother at first, but problems in his father's own personal relationship spurred him to start drinking and the alcohol created a much different environment. All of a sudden, he and his brother found themselves the recipients of constant beatings for no reason and neglect, which often left them without eating. Between the age of 10 and 11, he once again found himself hanging out in the streets and now smoking marijuana.

Still with no interest in school, the only thing Jonathan felt he was good at was fighting. When he heard a local boxing trainer named Lemuel 'Indio' Rodriguez was about to open a gym, Jonathan asked when and where. He figured, "I'm always getting into fights, so I might as well get rewarded and not in trouble for it." When Indio finally opened his gym, Jonathan was there the very first day.

Over the course of the next two years a bond began to take place. At first it was one between a boxer and his trainer, but when Indio began to notice emotional outbursts from time to time, he asked what was going on? Jonathan was hesitant and defiant, but inevitably it was his brother Giovanni, who had been accompanying him to the gym, that opened up to his trainer about their situation at home.

After that, whenever they showed up at the gym, Indio would ask them if they had eaten. Then at the dawn of a new school year and noticing they had no means, he took them to the mall to get new school clothes. Finally one day Indio, knowing their situation, asked them if they would like to stay with him and his family, eventually adopting them both. He knew it was either that or inevitably they would be taken in by social services and probably separated.

Jonathan at this point, feeling a close bond with his trainer, was willing. There were a couple of obstacles though. Indio had made this decision without discussing it with his own wife and family first, but even bigger was that Jonathan's biological father was not receptive to the idea. Indio's family was no problem at all as they opened their doors and arms the way he did. Per Jonathan, "we felt welcome right away."

Though his father tried to fight it, he eventually relented and with his mother's blessing from Puerto Rico, Indio legally adopted them both. Now between 13 and 14 years old, structure was about to be implemented into Jonathan's life for the very first time; Indio gave him rules he needed to live by. Always respect others, clean up after yourself and you need to go to school. Simple and common things to most, but not to a 13 year old kid who's never had to live by any rules.

However, Jonathan was determined and with Indio's positive influence, his demeanor changed. After failing ninth grade, Indio forced him to go to summer school and though 10th grade was rough, by the 11th grade there was improvement. In his senior year, his adopted father took his phone away from him and the result was graduating with honors.

Along the way the same type of results were being garnered in the ring. After just a few months of training he embarked on his amateur career. In the last six years he's amassed an amateur record of 49-9, winning numerous tournaments and titles, culminating this year with the 2018 Pennsylvania State Golden Gloves Championship.

After an impressive showing at the National Golden Gloves Tournament where he went 3-1, he and Indio discussed his future and both agreed it's time to go pro. At the same time, Jonathan has just begun his second year at Northampton Community College where he is studying for a certification in Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning.

His father and trainer is now also acting as co-manager of his boxing career along with manager Jimmy Deoria. His brother Giovanni eventually went back to live with his biological father after turning 18, though the two remain close. I asked Jonathan if he had any concerns going pro and having his adoptive father being both his trainer and co-manager. His response was, "If it wasn't for Indio, I'd be somewhere else doing something bad. I don't know where I'd be. There can't be anything worse than where I've been."

At the time of this posting, though a bout agreement has not been signed a/o yet, Jonathan's debut as a professional fighter is tentatively set for a date in November 2018 at The Sands Event Center. He will fight as a bantamweight (118 lbs.).