Avila turned professional in 1939 and was later
forced to retire due to injury with a record of 14 wins, 3 losses, and 4 draws.
After retirement, Avila apparently found his niche and became a trainer. He was
the trainer for Jesse Flores in his championship fight at Madison Square Gardens
and Yankee Stadium. He was also the trainer for Herman Markwise in his
championship fights. As a trainer, coach and manager, Avila accumulated 27
Northern California Amateur Championships, two National Championships, two
National Championship Runner-ups, two Stockton athlete of the Year winners, two
Pacific Association AAU Outstanding Athlete of the Year awards and two boxers
who fought for world titles. Avila was inducted into the Stockton Hall of Fame
in 1969.
1944 through 1952 was the span of Jesse Flores'
career. In 1948 Jesse Flores fought for the lightweight championship of the
world in a ten-round bout.
An icon in Stockton boxing for fifty years, Frank
Dobales was an amateur and professional fighter who fought in nine Golden
Gloves. In 1946 he won the 119 pound title of the Diamond Beld, In San
Francisco; and the 118 pound title in San Francisco Golden Gloves in 1947. He
turned professional in 1947, at age 18, and had a record of 16 wins, 4 losses.
He went on to coach and train many young men, including Benny Gerlaga, who won
two National AAU titles, the first in 1966, in New York and the second in 1967,
in San Diego. He almost had another national champion in Jesse Lopez, who lost
his final fight in a National Golden Glove Championship, held in Minnesota in
1967. Dobales was the coach of a Northern California Golden Gloves Team that
went to Boluxi, Mississippi in 1978. He was named co-coach of the U.S.A. Boxing
Team, along with ex-Heavyweight Champion, Jimmy Ellis that fought against the
team of East Germany and Tahoe of 1979. He received a Latino Award for Latin
America Club for athletic involvement in 1979; and the City of Stockton and San
Joaquin County Board of Supervisors acknowledged his involvement in amateur
boxing in June of 1979. Dobales has been the vice president of the Stockton
Police Youth Athletic League, Inc. since 1982; and was a Northern California
Commissioner for the Central California Amateur Boxing Association from
1980-1985. In 1989, Dobales was inducted into the Stockton Hall of Fame.
Born in Stockton in 1924 and living there until
1952, Peter "Tote" Martinez attended all local schools and graduated
from Edison High School. Before Pearl Harbor, "Tote" commenced his
amateur boxing career and had a record of 32 wins, 5 losses by 1947. When he
turned 27 he had a string of 22 straight victories. In World War II,
"Tote" served in the 41st Division of the U.S. Army. When it was over,
he had four major campaigns, a silver star for bravery, bronze medal and a
purple heart on his record. His professional record was 47-7-5. During his
career he defeated well-knowns such as Carlos Chavez, Raul Compos, Mario Treagle,
Alfredo Escavar, Febela Chavez, and Chuchu Jiminez. He dropped close ones to
former lightweight champ Beu Jack, Maxie Docusen, and two to Enrique Bellanos.
All but two of his losses were split decisions. Three of the more classic fights
in Stockton's history were against another local favorite, Jesse Flores. Two of
them ended in a draw and the third Flores received a razor-thin decision in an
action-packed third bout. "Tote" was inducted into the Stockton Hall
of Fame in 1976.
