ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A professional boxer who started his career in the 1980s is still living on today through the efforts of his family. A new fight shop associated with Johnny Tapia’s family opened up on Sunday.
The Albuquerque community gathered Sunday to celebrate the opening of the Tapia Fight Shop. Johnny Tapia’s widow Teresa and their family were on site for the special opening.
Tapia passed away in 2012, and his family said it will be a way to continue his legacy a decade after his death. The facility will offer boxing training but will eventually also include a medical facility for those who come through the gym.
“The medical side is to help the fighters who can’t afford insurance with a membership. Do a little bit of giving back to the community, try to help these fighters because they fight hard for all of us, and there’s nowhere to turn, so we want to turn that around,” said Teresa.
The gym is located on San Mateo near Candelaria.