By David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com

As I travel life’s path, I consider myself truly blessed. Why? Because I get to live the the sport that I enjoy the most – boxing!

It all started in 1960, watching the Gillette Friday Night Fights on a black and white TV set in the living room with my father. The following year, I began attending the wrestling and boxing matches at the historic Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles with my uncle. Watching these events in person and “in living color” was such a treat for a young kid; these are incredible memories which I will never forget.

At that young age, I also tried to educate myself by talking to the older generation regarding the fights they had seen and what life was like in eras before my time.

Through the past sixty plus years I have lived and enjoyed the journey!

Some highlights include meeting many fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Roberto Duran, Ruben Olivares, Ernie Terrell, Jerry Quarry, Enrique Bolanos, Art Aragon, Eddie Perkins, Ricardo Lopez, Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley, Marco Antonio Barrera, Wilfredo Gomez, Carlos Zarate, Danny Lopez, Bobby Chacon, Carlos Ortiz, Hedgemon Lewis, Jeff Fenech, Manny Pacquiao, Archie Moore, Bob Foster, Fernando Vargas, George Foreman, Aaron Pryor, Jose Napoles, Jimmy Ellis, Johnny Tapia, Ken Buchanan, Leon Spinks, Vernon Forrest, Carmen Basillio, Rodolfo Gonzalez, James Toney, Genaro Hernandez, Gene Fullmer, Julian Jackson, Lupe Pintor, George Chuvalo, Matthew Saad Muhammad, Emile Griffith, Ken Norton, Armando Muniz, Jeff Chandler, Miguel Canto, Mike McCallum, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Diego Corrales, Barry McGuigan, Mike Weaver, Alex Ramos and Mando Ramos; quite a group! I was also interviewed on radio and TV, and wrote many article pieces as a boxing beat writer in the seventies, eighties, and nineties for my local newspaper, The Santa Barbara News Press.

Serving on the Board of Directors and as boxing historian with the World Boxing Hall of Fame from 1997 to 2007 certainly was a satisfying experience as well as an honor.

In July 2007, I established my own website, dmboxing.com which has absolutely been a delight to offer my personal look at the “sweet science” for many to enjoy.

I would like to say thank you to the many who have helped me and who have contributed to the success of the website which has now published 1,778 articles and features world-wide.

Along the way, I have met some truly genuine and positive boxing people that have become my friends; these relationships are special to me.

I know there are many choices out there in boxing – the support I have received has made it my pleasure to produce this website. Thank you everybody! In closing, I would like to share a few photos from the dmboxing.com collection.

My Personal Quote: “boxing is my blood life – line“