(San Diego, CA) – Undefeated San Diego super welter David Barragan (6-0-1, 3KOs) has never taken a short cut. Even after suffering a devastating life threatening automobile accident, Barragan decided to take the long road. Coming home from an early run, David along with his father Carlos where struck by a drunk driver in a head-on collision. The young David, a highly decorated amateur who won his first national Silver Gloves tournament at thirteen and amassed over 90 amateur fights, was given the choice of fusing his damaged vertebrae and being well in a matter of months or taking the longer and more painful option of letting them heal on their own with the help of a cast. He went with option two.
“It all began with a punching bag in the backyard and bible studies on Friday,” Carlos Barragan Jr., father and trainer of David, answered when asked how the family got involved in boxing. “My father, Carlos Sr., always loved the sport so we decided to help kids in National City, eventually we got a gym in the backyard and it took off from there.”
Undefeated David Barragan of San Diego Photo by Paul Gallegos
With that environment, it was only a question of when David would join the family business. After two months of training at the tender age of eight, David had his first amateur fight in Brawley, CA. He never looked back while collecting trophies and belts including a silver medal at the Junior Olympics in ’05 and participating in the Nationals for the United States and Mexico.
“I’ve traveled a lot, all over the United States and some parts of Mexico, that is one of the things I most like about boxing,” David shared. “I’ve been to Tahiti twice and those where trips of a lifetime. I was invited to an invitational by the southern California USA amateur coach to compete against the Tahitians. I jumped on the chance.”
Turning pro was the next logical step in his career and he did so in late 2011 in Orange County. He scored a quick knockout of John Ferrari who was not quick enough to stay away and went down in two rounds. Four months later, Barragan suffered the only blemish in his ledger with a draw against Marquise Bruce. Taking it slow and looking for the best options unlike many young fighters who take fights without weighing in different options, Barragan took five months to step in a ring again. This time Beau Hamilton was stopped in two and four months scored a unanimous decision over Carl Hill.
A graduate of Sweetwater High School and a business student at a local community college, the twenty-three year old Barragan is co-owner along with his father of the House of Boxing Training Center located in National City. “It’s been a blessing, this is all I know, I have been in gyms all my life. It was an easy choice to open the gym and my dad and grandfather have been a lot of help and together we have built the gym.”
Barragan made his hometown debut on a Bobby D Presents fight card earlier this year with his numerous House of Boxing fan base behind him at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel. “It is very motivating to have my House of Boxing family at the fights but the day of the fight, I’m all business.”
Despite tasting the canvas for the first time in his pro career, Barragan got up and fought on to take a unanimous decision over the tough Jose Martell. Two months later he scored the knock out of the night over Moses Alvizo.
Again in usual Barragan fashion, he took the tough road in his last fight looking for a challenge. Facing a first timer in Matt Dumais, a Canadian amateur stand out training out of the famed Justin Fortune Gym, Barragan dropped him in the first but he knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.
“I knew he was tough and very experience so I didn’t get that excited when he went down in the first round, I knew he was going to come back strong,” the affable Barragan said thoughfully. “I listened to my corner, fought smart and didn’t get ahead of myself and we were able to come out with the win.”
In his first six rounder of his career tonight, Barragan looks to continue the trend in 2014 and look to step up to eight round bouts soon. “I think I will look to step it up next year. Fighting more often and looking to see what doors open.”
The Crowne Plaza Hanalei Hotel is located at 2270 Hotel Circle North in San Diego. Tickets are still available at SanDiegoFights.com or by calling 619.420.8866. Doors open at 6:30 with the first punch thrown at 7:30pm.
“San Diego Fights” is proudly sponsored by Mossy Automotive Group, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, Car Czar, Everlast, David G. Schmidt General Contractor, House of Boxing Gym and Boxing Fraternity Apparel and features the San Diego Bikini Dolls.
