Andy Vences, a former junior lightweight, admitted that after retiring after his unanimous decision loss against Leonardo Padilla in June 2023, he fell into a deep depression. Vences is now ready to begin the next phase of his career.
Stone Boxing will celebrate its grand opening on November 9 at 385 E. Taylor St. in San Jose, California, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and sparring exhibitions.
Inspired by his old manager Herb Stone, who guided athletes from Northern California such as flyweight Bruno Escalante and junior welterweight Jonathan Chicas, Vences hopes to pass on the ideals Stone instilled in him.
“When I decided to start, something needed to be done,” Vences told me. “The whole team left the gym I was at, and it clicked in my head. We needed a home where everyone could come together. That’s really what started the idea. We can make a family gym where we’d all be welcome, with nobody dictating what or how we have to do things.”
Vences, who retired with a 23-5-1 (12 KO) record, wanted to give the gym a moniker that paid tribute to Stone.”Back when I was an average boxer out of the Bay Area, I met him at Third Street Gym while sparring Jonathan Chicas,” Vences said. “We talked, and I got a good vibe. Later, I signed with him, and years ago, my friend [and trainer] Angel Cordon suggested we call the gym “Stone Boxing” as a tribute. My wife reminded me of the idea. Our team stands for passion, respect, and loyalty.”
To recognize Herb Stone’s influence, Andy Vences and his crew adopted the moniker “Stone Boxing,” which emphasizes the ideals Stone imparted. Vences also intends to include drills and workouts learned from mentors such as Cordon and his strength and conditioning coach, cutman Mike Bazzel, as well as track coach Remi Korchemny, who coached him through Victor Conte’s SNAC System sponsorship. Vences wants to assist the next generation develop explosive power and boxing principles.
“I made sure to design the gym to cater to everyone,” Vences said. “One side is for classes, and the other is for fighters, so those in competition can focus without distraction. If you’re competing, you should have a more focused space to improve your skills.”
Vences provided specifics about the gym’s design, including equipment chosen to match his professional experience. “Everything in there is top-tier,” Vences said. “Just the heavy bags, mats, and shipping ran about $26,000, with custom bags for Stone Boxing. I also invested in a Grodex speed bag and the Ryan Garcia reflex bag, along with other equipment.”
Vences was fortunate to have the backing of his battle team and family investors who believed in the vision. “We have a fight team, and all their fathers helped me build the gym,” Vences said. “They set up the mats, brackets, and ring. Their support made it all possible, so instead of spending $80,000, I probably spent around $60,000.”