Richard ‘Kiki’ Torrez, Jr. hails from a long line of boxers originating in the San Joaquin Valley. His family's boxing legacy traces back to his great-grandfather, Juan Torrez, who migrated from Fresnillo, Mexico in 1920. His grandfather, Manuel Torrez, achieved recognition as a southwest Golden Gloves champion, while his father and coach, Richard Torrez Sr., made it to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Trials for the 1984 Olympics. This legacy continues through the Tulare Athletic Club, a training facility for young boxers, where father and son help local youth challenge themselves in and out of the ring.
'Kiki' achieved local celebrity status when he was chosen to represent the United States in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. He brought home a silver medal and has gone on to achieve great success as an American professional boxer. His amateur career culminated in qualifying to represent the United States at the 2020 Olympics, bringing home a silver medal for the USA.
Beyond his athletic prowess, Richard Torrez Jr. had a stellar academic career in the Tulare School system, graduating as Valedictorian of his 2017 Mission Oak High School class.
What makes Torrez a true Hometown Hero is how gracefully he's navigated his success - always humble, always giving credit to faith, family and community. You will be so blessed by this young man's story and we're grateful he agreed to share it.
