Raul Martinez

Boxer

Who were your heroes growing up?

I was always into sports growing up.  My first sport was soccer.  My dad played pro soccer for the Monterrey Rayados in Mexico.  When he moved to the US he always played soccer - every weekend and I would see him play.  I wanted to be like him.  I got introduced to boxing and had many idols like Ricardo Lopez, Julio Cesar chavez, Oscar de la Hoya, Felix Trinidad and many others.

What advice do you have for an aspiring boxer?

Always be in the gym, stay out of trouble, and just focus on what you really want to do.  If its boxing, put 100% into it.  Time goes by fast and you don't want to look back and say - I could have been.

If you weren't a boxer, what would you be?

I would probably be doing something working with kids and young adults, helping them reach their goals and getting closer to their dreams.  It is also something I would like to do when I retire.  I want to help out and better my community.

What do you do in your free time?

I like to spend as much time with my wife and kids.  I also like to keep in shape by running, lifting weights, and going to different boxing gyms to workout.